Larger wires in Ottawa
County will be able to handle increased electricity
demand
AKRON,
Ohio, March 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American
Transmission Systems, Inc. (ATSI), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy
Corp. (NYSE: FE), is using helicopter crews to upgrade a
high-voltage transmission line in Ottawa
County, stringing new, larger wires that can handle
additional demand if other lines in the area are out of
service.
The 138-kilovolt transmission line runs nearly eight miles
southwest from the Lakeview Substation in Port Clinton to the Ottawa Substation in
Salem Township. In addition to
stringing the new wires, ATSI will replace six existing
transmission structures along the route with new steel monopoles
that can better support the larger wires. ATSI also will make
modifications to another 42 transmission structures, installing new
components and insulators to support the wires. Insulators separate
high-voltage transmission lines from their grounded support towers
and help maintain safe, consistent delivery of power while
preventing the current from traveling through the structures.
Using helicopter crews to perform the work is faster and more
efficient than deploying ground crews, which would require the
creation of access roads for large trucks and equipment. ATSI began
construction along the line in February and expects to complete the
work in May.
The transmission line serves Ottawa, Erie
and Lorain counties. With the new
wires, the line will be able to carry increased current in the
event of unplanned service interruptions on other lines in the
area. When completed, the $20 million
project will enhance the reliability, resiliency, efficiency and
operational flexibility of the transmission system in the area. The
project was identified in conjunction with PJM, the electric grid
operator for Ohio Edison and Toledo Edison's service area, as part
of its reliability planning analysis.
"This line upgrade will reinforce our transmission system and
will help provide us with the flexibility we need to continue
delivering reliable power to customers in northwest Ohio," said Carl
Bridenbaugh, FirstEnergy's vice president of
Transmission.
FirstEnergy also continues to move forward with Energizing
the Future, a multi-year initiative designed to upgrade
FirstEnergy's transmission system with advanced equipment and
technologies that will reinforce the power grid and help reduce the
frequency and duration of customer outages. Since 2014, FirstEnergy
has upgraded or replaced existing power lines, incorporated smart
technology into the grid and upgraded dozens of substations with
new equipment and enhanced security features. Through 2022,
FirstEnergy has invested more than $10
billion in the Energizing the Future initiative.
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.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.