Potomac Edison invests $14.7 million to reinforce the power grid during
severe weather
WILLIAMSPORT, Md., May 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp.
(NYSE: FE) subsidiary Potomac Edison is conducting tree trimming
and other vegetation management work in communities across its
Maryland service area as part of
its ongoing efforts to help enhance electric service reliability.
This year's $14.7 million
tree-trimming program will help keep power flowing to customers by
helping to prevent tree-related outages, such as those that can
occur during the spring and summer storm season.
On the ground, contractors have trimmed trees along more than
300 miles of power lines across the Maryland service area since the beginning of
the year. The company is on track to complete an additional 1,800
miles of tree-trimming work by the end of the year. Similar work is
performed annually by FirstEnergy transmission companies along
high-voltage power lines in the company's service territory.
A video explaining and demonstrating tree-trimming work
can be found on FirstEnergy's YouTube channel.
Don McGettigan, Acting
President of FirstEnergy's Maryland Operations: "Because trees
are a leading cause of power outages, tree trimming is crucial to
our reliability efforts and one of the most effective ways we can
reduce the impact of tree-related service interruptions for our
customers."
Crews continually inspect vegetation near power lines to ensure
trees are pruned to preserve their health while also maintaining
safe clearances. Trees that present a danger or are diseased may be
removed.
As part of its notification process, Potomac Edison works with
municipalities to inform them of tree-trimming schedules. In
addition, customers living in areas along company rights of way
also are notified before vegetation management work is done.
Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties
in Maryland. Follow Potomac Edison
at potomacedison.com, on X, formerly known as Twitter,
@PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, West Virginia,
Maryland and New York. The company's transmission
subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission
lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow
FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on X
@FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of workers trimming trees near
FirstEnergy power lines are available for download on Flickr.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.