Work includes trimming along nearly 5,000
miles of power lines
GREENSBURG, Pa., May 3, 2022
/PRNewswire/ -- West Penn Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp.
(NYSE: FE), continues to conduct tree-trimming work in communities
across its 24-county Pennsylvania
service area as part of its ongoing efforts to help enhance service
reliability. Maintaining proper clearances around electrical
equipment can reduce the frequency and duration of tree-related
power outages, especially those associated with severe weather.
Since the beginning of the year, tree contractors have trimmed
along 1,000 miles of electric lines in the West Penn Power service
area as part of the company's $47.3
million vegetation management program for 2022. West Penn
Power's program remains on track to complete an additional
3,900 miles of work by year end.
The tree-trimming program includes inspecting vegetation near
the lines to ensure trees are pruned in a manner that helps
preserve the health of the tree while also maintaining safety near
electric facilities. Trees that present a danger or are diseased
also may be removed.
"Trimming trees along power lines helps keep the lights on
for our customers and allows our line crews to more quickly restore
service after storms," said Scott
Wyman, president of FirstEnergy's Pennsylvania operations. "The work is making a
difference. On days without severe weather, tree-related outages
disrupted electric service to 17 percent fewer West Penn Power
customers in 2021 than in 2020."
The company's tree program also includes about
$2 million to remove approximately
10,000 dead and dying ash trees along distribution lines in western
Pennsylvania. Crews have removed
about 1,600 ash trees so far this year. In 2021, the company
proactively removed more than 125,000 trees that could have come in
contact with power lines, including deteriorated ash trees harmed
or killed by the Emerald Ash Borer.
This year, West Penn Power is scheduled to trim trees along
power lines in the following counties and communities:
- Allegheny – Cheswick, Bethel
Park, Upper St. Clair,
South Fayette Township,
Harmar Township, Springdale Township, Springdale, Frazer
Township, North Fayette
Township, East Deer
Township, McDonald,
Oakdale, South Park Township
- Armstrong – Kiskiminetas Township, Parks Township,
South Buffalo Township,
North Buffalo Township,
East Franklin Township,
Madison Township, Mahoning Township, Redbank Township,
Bethel Township, Kittanning, Manor
Township, Rayburn Township, Parker City, Boggs Township, Wayne Township, Kittanning Township, Gilpin Township, Bradys
Bend Township, Leechburg,
Cadogan Township, Valley Township
- Bedford – Hyndman, Londonderry
Township
- Butler – Butler Township, Center Township, Clay Township, Clearfield Township, Slippery Rock Township, Summit Township, Donegal Township, Fairview Township, Brady Township, Allegheny Township, Parker Township, Muddy Creek Township,
Oakland Township
- Cameron – Gibson Township, Lumber Township, Portage Township, Shippen Township
- Centre – Benner Township, Huston Township, Liberty Township, Patton Township, Spring Township, Union Township, Boggs Township, Curtin Township, Howard Township, Unionville, College Township, Halfmoon
Township and Worth Township
- Clarion – Brady Township, Madison Township, Perry Township, Porter Township, Richland Township
- Elk – St. Marys, Benezette Township, Jones Township
- Fayette – Connellsville, South
Connellsville, Uniontown,
Point Marion, Bullskin Township, Luzerne Township, Washington Township, Connellsville Township, Dunbar Township, Perry Township, Georges Township, German Township,
Henry Clay Township, Redstone Township, Springhill Township, Stewart Township, Saltlick Township,
Menallen Township, South Union Township, Wharton Township
- Franklin – Hamilton Township, Letterkenny Township,
Mercersburg, Montgomery Township, St. Thomas Township, Peters Township, Greene Township, Washington Township, Warren Township
- Fulton – Bethel Township, Belfast Township,
Thompson Township
- Greene – Center Township, Dunkard Township, Franklin Township, Freeport Township, Gilmore Township,
Jackson Township, Jefferson Township, Morgan Township, Morris Township, Whiteley Township,
Wayne Township, Clarksville
- Indiana – Saltsburg
- McKean – Kane,
Wetmore Township, Sergeant Township, Norwich Township
- Potter – Eulalia Township, Portage Township, Homer Township, Summit Township, Sweden Township
- Somerset – Fairhope Township, Southampton Township
- Washington – Washington, Canonsburg, Cecil
Township, Nottingham
Township, Peters Township,
Union Township, California, Centerville, Charleroi, Fallowfield Township, Amwell Township, Morris Township, North Bethlehem Township, West Bethlehem Township, Chartiers Township, Cross Creek Township, Jefferson Township, McDonald, North
Charleroi Township, Green
Hills, East Bethlehem
Township, Robinson
Township, Canton Township,
Finleyville, Houston, Independence Township, North Franklin Township, North Strabane Township, Somerset Township, South Franklin Township, South Strabane Township, Bentleyville, Cokeburg, Ellsworth, West Pike
Run Township
- Westmoreland – Greensburg, Hempfield Township, Irwin, Jeannette, Murrysville, Unity
Township, Rostraver
Township, Sewickley
Township, Delmont,
Scottdale, Bell Township, Upper
Burrell, Washington
Township, Derry,
Derry Township, Penn Township,
Allegheny Township, East Huntingdon Township, South Huntingdon Township, North Huntingdon Township, Salem Township, Manor, Vandergrift, West
Leechburg, Ligonier
Township, Monessen, Cook
Township, Donegal Township,
Mount Pleasant Township,
Unity Township, Fairfield Township, St. Clair Township, Washington Township, Loyalhanna Township, Smithton
As part of its notification process, West Penn Power works with
municipalities to inform them of tree-trimming schedules. In
addition, customers living in areas along company rights-of-way
also are notified prior to vegetation management work being
done.
The vegetation management work is conducted by qualified line
clearance arborists under the company's direction, including
Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Jaflo Inc., Lewis Tree Service Inc.,
Penn Line Service Inc., Davey Tree Expert Company and Townsend
Tree.
West Penn Power serves approximately 725,000 customers in 24
counties within central and southwestern Pennsylvania. Follow West Penn Power on
Twitter @W_Penn_Power and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/WestPennPower.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving 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 Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of workers using bucket trucks
to trim trees near FirstEnergy power lines are available for
download on Flickr. A video explaining FirstEnergy's vegetation
management techniques can also be found on YouTube.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.