Approved projects will strengthen system
and support customer demand
WILLIAMSPORT, Md., Dec. 12,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE)
subsidiaries Potomac Edison and Mid-Atlantic Interstate
Transmission (MAIT) have been awarded three transmission projects
totaling nearly $800 million in
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West
Virginia by regional transmission organization PJM
Interconnection. The projects will enhance reliability, accommodate
growing demand for electricity by residential and commercial
customers and facilitate the connection of new energy resources,
such as wind and solar.
Potomac Edison and MAIT submitted the projects earlier this year
when PJM solicited proposals to address the growing demand for
electricity by data centers in its territory, particularly in
Northern Virginia. The work will
also help enhance the flow of electricity across the system and
address the impact of power plant retirements that provided 11
gigawatts of energy, enough to power 1.1 billion LED lightbulbs in
any given moment, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Carl Bridenbaugh,
FirstEnergy's vice president of Transmission: "At FirstEnergy,
we are committed to doing our part to make sure that the
transmission system delivers the power customers depend on, and we
are pleased to have the opportunity to make these important
upgrades that will enhance reliability and deliver long-term
benefits for years to come."
PJM coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or
parts of 13 states, including FirstEnergy's service territory.
Beginning in May, PJM's staff evaluated 72 proposals over several
months and recommended a short list of projects to enhance
reliability. In December, the PJM Board of Managers approved three
FirstEnergy-affiliated projects that minimize environmental and
community impacts by utilizing existing transmission rights of way.
State and local approvals will be required before construction can
begin.
Awarded projects include:
- Upgrading an existing 24-mile transmission line that runs from
Adams County, Pennsylvania, to
Carroll County, Maryland. The
upgraded line will feature a new set of 230-kilovolt (kV) wires,
known as a circuit, in addition to the existing 115/138-kV circuit
currently in the corridor. MAIT will also rewire a nearby
115-kV transmission line and complete additional equipment upgrades
as part of the $135 million
project.
- Upgrading a transmission line in Frederick and Montgomery counties in Maryland. The current 500-kV and
double-circuit 230-kV lines will be rebuilt to accommodate
side-by-side transmission structures, each featuring sets of 500-kV
wires over 230-kV wires for a total of four circuits. One
500/230-kV double circuit will extend 8 miles from Potomac Edison's
existing Doubs Substation in Frederick County to a substation in
Montgomery County owned by Exelon
Corp., and the other circuit will continue south another 7 miles to
the Virginia state line. The
$235 million project includes
associated upgrades at the Doubs Substation.
- Upgrading 36 miles of an existing 138-kV transmission line in
Virginia and West Virginia to create a double-circuit line
with 500-kV wires installed over 138-kV wires. Located in
Frederick and Clark counties in Virginia and in Jefferson County, West Virginia, the
$392 million project includes
substation upgrades and is part of a larger, 160-mile transmission
line project that was awarded by PJM to multiple transmission
companies.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its 10 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 24,000 miles of
transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and
on X, formerly known as Twitter, @FirstEnergyCorp.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.