The Pennsylvania Power Company (Penn Power) recently announced that it expects to complete several projects by the end of the year to improve service reliability for approximately 20,000 customers in Mercer County.
The company is installing approximately 1,000 new poles and replacing more than 184,000 feet of power lines with thicker wire designed to withstand harsh winter elements. The projects also include the installation of 72 automated reclosing devices to help quickly restore power in the event of an outage.
The projects are part of Penn Power’s 2016-2020 Long-Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP).
“Winter storms have the potential to cause damage to poles, wires, and substations, requiring crews to make repairs in difficult conditions,” Ed Shuttleworth, regional president of Penn Power and Ohio Edison, said. “The completion of this work ahead of winter is a win-win because it strengthens our electric system and keeps the lights on for customers when they depend on it the most to stay warm and comfortable.”
The work also includes the installation of additional circuit ties, which can help reduce the number of customers affected by an outage. In preparation for winter, Penn Power has also completed inspections and conducted maintenance on equipment across its service area.