Penn Power is in the process of upgrading and expanding its power system in Butler County.
The work will support the future energy demands of more than 20,000 customers in parts of Cranberry, Mars, Evans City, Jackson Township, and surrounding areas.
Utility personnel recently started foundation work on an 8,000-square-foot distribution substation in Cranberry Township. In the spring, they will begin erecting steel structures. The facility is expected to be operational by the end of this year.
Additional work includes constructing a short, high-voltage power line to connect the substation with an existing power line and installing automated equipment and technology in substations and along power lines.
The automated devices shut off power when problems occur. For certain types of outages, they will automatically re-energize a substation or power line within seconds. In the event of a more serious issue, the technology will isolate the outage to that area and help utility workers
pinpoint the location of the problem and understand its cause.
Penn Power serves more than 160,000 customers in all or parts of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Lawrence, and Mercer counties. It is a FirstEnergy Corp. electric company. FirstEnergy serves customers in six states.