FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA), operating as West Penn Power in western Pennsylvania, has completed an upgrade to its electric system in eastern Westmoreland County. This development aims to prevent service disruptions, support voltage levels, and accommodate growth. The project involved rebuilding a section of an existing power line with larger diameter wire to carry more electricity, ensuring customer comfort during extreme weather conditions.
John Hawkins, FirstEnergy President for Pennsylvania, stated: "We reconstructed part of a line paralleling Unity Street with new utility poles, wires, crossarms and other equipment to enhance electric service for more than 500 customers in Unity Township. This investment will help support voltage levels on our system to benefit existing customers and position the local grid to meet increased electrical load in a rural area poised for growth."
The work was carried out by West Penn Power crews based in Latrobe on a 2-mile section of the 12-kilovolt distribution line along Unity Street-Unity Cemetery Road from Garfield Road to Auction Barn Road. The project included installing larger diameter wire to meet increasing electrical demand and replacing 15 utility poles, 70 crossarms, and other hardware with new equipment. Additionally, 200 aging insulators and several fuses were replaced.
The upgraded line's increased capacity will provide backup power for customers in the Wimmerton housing plan during scheduled maintenance or unexpected issues affecting their usual lines. System operators can temporarily supply power from the rebuilt line when needed.
Photos of the newly installed infrastructure are available on Flickr.
This project is part of FE PA's Long Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP), which aims to accelerate capital investments in the electric distribution system serving West Penn Power and other areas. LTIIP is under Energize365, FirstEnergy's grid evolution program that plans to invest $26 billion between 2024 and 2028 across six states to create a smarter and more secure grid.
West Penn Power serves around 725,000 customers across 24 counties within central and southwestern Pennsylvania. Updates can be followed on X @W_Penn_Power and Facebook at facebook.com/WestPennPower.
FirstEnergy emphasizes integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the largest investor-owned systems in the nation, serving over six million customers across multiple states. More information is available at firstenergycorp.com or on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
For media inquiries: Todd Meyers at (724) 838-6650; Investor inquiries: Karen Sagot at (330) 761-4286.