Pre-Winter Inspections and Maintenance Support Safe and Reliable Power for FirstEnergy's Pennsylvania Customers Through Cold Months

Company offers tips for customers to manage seasonal heating bills

GREENSBURG, Pa., Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) doing business as Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power and West Penn Power, is completing equipment inspections and maintenance to help keep electricity flowing to customers so they can stay safe and comfortable throughout the cold winter season. 

John Hawkins, FirstEnergy's President, Pennsylvania: "We focus our winter preparations on readying our electric distribution and transmission systems to safely deliver electricity to our customers when they need it most to stay warm. We take many steps to safeguard our power infrastructure and prepare our field employees and vehicles to be ready to respond quickly and efficiently to the challenges presented by winter's frigid temperatures, windstorms and snowstorms."

Substation electricians inspect critical components using thermovision cameras, which capture infrared images of equipment to detect potential problems that are not visible during regular visual inspections. The infrared images show heat on a color scale, with brighter colors or "hot spots" indicating loose connections, corrosion or other problems that require repairs. Workers can then proactively repair substation equipment to help prevent power outages as customers crank up their heaters to combat the cold.

Watch a video on the company's YouTube channel of FirstEnergy personnel conducting a thermovision inspection.

Larger substations often have buildings that house remote-controlled equipment that require a climate-controlled environment to function properly. Crews winterize those control buildings and ensure their heating systems and battery back-up are ready for the season.

Helicopter inspections are also being completed on more than 5,500 miles of transmission lines located across FirstEnergy's Pennsylvania footprint. The inspections are designed to look for damaged wire, broken cross arms and other hardware problems invisible from the ground. Potential reliability issues identified during the inspection may then be addressed.

Tree trimming throughout the year reinforces the power system ahead of the winter season by maintaining proper clearances around electrical equipment and helping to protect against tree-related outages caused by the weight of ice and heavy, wet snow on branches. FirstEnergy's tree contractors have completed trimming work along about 9,900 miles of transmission and distribution power lines this year across Pennsylvania to help prevent or minimize the impact of tree-related service disruptions.

FirstEnergy explains a new vegetation management tool being used across the company's footprint in a video clip on the company's YouTube channel.

Additionally, bucket trucks and other vehicles are inspected to ensure they are safe and able to function in freezing temperatures. Special emphasis is placed on the condition of tires and air brakes, which can freeze up if moisture is present. Snow removal equipment is also checked to ensure that crews can access substations and that work areas and sidewalks at company facilities are clear and safe.

Earlier this year, FE PA employees conducted annual tabletop storm drills as another way to help ensure reliable electric service for customers when severe weather strikes. The drills are designed to prepare employees assigned to storm restoration duties and review restoration processes and storm-management tools critical to safely and quickly getting the lights back on after damage caused by severe weather.

Customers can review tips to prepare in advance for severe weather, and view restoration updates if storms do cause power outages, by visiting FirstEnergy's 24/7 Power Center at firstenergycorp.com/outages.  

Cold Weather Tips for Customers

With the winter storm season also comes frigid temperatures and rising energy costs. Customers can take steps to keep their homes comfortable while managing their electricity bill this cold season. The following tips can help customers use electricity wisely during this period of high demand: 

• Seal any leaks around windows and door frames with caulk or weather stripping to prevent cold air from sneaking into your home.
• Close the fireplace damper when it is not in use to keep cold air out.
• Close the drapes at night. During the day, only open those that receive direct sunlight.
• Check furnace fan filters. Clogged filters waste energy and money by forcing a heating system to work harder than necessary.
• Make sure your home is properly insulated. If you have less than six inches of insulation, you'll benefit by adding more.
• Payment arrangements and assistance programs are available for customers who need help with their electric bills. For more information, visit  firstenergycorp.com/billassist.

Met-Ed serves approximately 592,000 customers within 3,300 square miles of eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. Follow Met-Ed on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Met Ed and on Facebook at facebook.com/MetEdElectric.

Penelec serves approximately 597,000 customers within 17,600 square miles of northern and central Pennsylvania. Follow Penelec on X @Penelec and on Facebook at facebook.com/PenelecElectric.

Penn Power serves more than 173,000 customers in all or parts of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Lawrence and Mercer counties in western Pennsylvania. Follow Penn Power on X @Penn_Power, on Facebook at facebook.com/PennPower, and online at pennpower.com.

West Penn Power serves approximately 746,000 customers in 24 counties within central and southwestern Pennsylvania. Follow West Penn Power on X @W_Penn_Power and on Facebook at facebook.com/WestPennPower.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 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 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Visit FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note: Photos of FirstEnergy's utilities' winter inspection and maintenance program are available for download on Flickr. 

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

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