READING, PA — With summer’s heat and humidity expected to spike electricity usage and the potential for severe weather, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA) is taking steps to ensure reliable service for its customers. The company, which operates in eastern Pennsylvania as Met-Ed, is completing inspections and conducting maintenance across its service area.
John Hawkins, FirstEnergy’s President of Pennsylvania Operations, stated, “We proactively inspect and maintain our equipment to help ensure our system is prepared for increased electrical demand when temperatures climb. These important measures will also help to minimize the length and impact of service interruptions should summer storms cause power outages.”
To prepare for the heightened demand, Met-Ed crews are finalizing inspections of the local energy delivery system. This involves using thermovision cameras to capture infrared images during substation inspections. These images help detect potential issues such as loose connections and corrosion that are not visible during regular inspections. Identifying these problems early allows for timely repairs, reducing the risk of future power outages.
Additionally, helicopter patrols have inspected nearly 970 miles of power lines owned by Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC (MAIT), a transmission subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. These aerial inspections help spot damaged wires, broken cross arms, and other hardware issues that can’t be seen from the ground. Any reliability issues identified will be promptly addressed.
Tree contractors have also been busy trimming vegetation along about 950 miles of power lines in the Met-Ed area this year. This work is part of FirstEnergy’s ongoing vegetation management program. The goal is to complete an additional 2,160 miles by year’s end. Proper clearance around electrical equipment is crucial for safe, reliable service and helps reduce tree-related outages, particularly during severe weather.
In addition to these preventative measures, Met-Ed has conducted storm-readiness exercises and drills. These drills test the company’s restoration process for storm-related outages and have become more common in the utility industry due to the increased frequency of severe weather events.
These proactive steps aim to enhance service reliability and ensure that Met-Ed’s infrastructure can handle the challenges of summer weather.
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