Penelec to Receive $500 Million for Infrastructure Upgrades
Penelec is set to receive $538 million to enhance its power grid as part of FirstEnergy’s $1.42 billion investment plan
Penelec, FirstEnergy, Pennsylvania, Infrastructure, Power Grid
Erie: So, FirstEnergy just got the green light for a massive $1.42 billion investment in their infrastructure plans. This is all about making things better from 2025 to 2029 in Pennsylvania.
Out of that, Penelec is getting the biggest chunk—$538 million! They’re really focusing on improving the power grid. Other areas like Met-Ed, West Penn Power, and Penn Power are getting their shares too, but Penelec is leading the pack.
This whole plan is part of something called Energize365. It’s a long-term program aimed at making the grid smarter and more reliable. They’re planning to invest a whopping $26 billion between 2024 and 2028. That’s a lot of cash to make sure we have reliable power, especially with all the new electric vehicles and clean energy coming in.
They started this improvement project back in 2012, and since then, they’ve already put over a billion dollars into it. And guess what? Since 2019, power outages have dropped by 14% in the areas where they’ve done the work. That’s pretty impressive!
According to their press release, they’re focusing on two main things: modernizing the grid and making the system more resilient. They’ve got a whole list of projects lined up to achieve that.
For grid modernization, they’ll be installing protective devices, updating underground networks, and replacing old equipment. It’s all about making sure we have a reliable power supply.
On the resiliency side, they’ll be replacing aging poles and wires, putting some equipment underground, and building new power lines. This should help keep the lights on even during tough weather.
And don’t worry, customers won’t see any extra charges in 2025. The costs for the first year are already covered in the rate review they approved last November.