Mon Power conducting system upgrades in West Virginia service territory

FirstEnergy Corp.’s electric company Mon Power, which serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties, is replacing and upgrading equipment at eight transmission substations in its service territory to help prevent or minimize the impact of power outages.

Specifically, Mon Power aims to protect the more than 13,000 customers who are served by high-voltage power lines connected to the substations, according to the utility.

“By minimizing the impact of power outages, especially during severe weather in rural areas, we are helping ensure the delivery of reliable power to thousands of customers,” said Jim Myers, vice president of First Energy’s West Virginia and Maryland Operations. “These upgrades will not only enhance our system’s performance but also contribute to the overall economic stability and well-being of the communities we serve in West Virginia.”

Mon Power’s work involves replacing existing substation equipment with new communication equipment, including electrical relays containing technology that helps reduce the frequency and severity of potential outages caused by issues such as animal contacts and tree-related damage.

Mon Power started the upgrade projects in the spring and expects to complete the work by the end of the year, building upon system enhancements the company completed last year at its substations in the Clarksburg and Fairview areas for more than 5,500 customers.

The projects are part of Energize365, FirstEnergy’s multi-year grid evolution program, which is focused on transmission and distribution investments.

With planned investments of $26 billion between now and 2028, the program aims to create a smarter, more secure grid that will meet and exceed reliability targets and accommodate electric vehicles, the electrification of homes and businesses, and clean energy sources, according to the company.

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