By Lauren Siburkis, FirstEnergy<\/p>\n
A power grid upgrade is underway in southeastern Pennsylvania to enhance electric service for thousands of residents and businesses in Lehigh and Berks counties. The project includes rebuilding a 15-mile stretch of high-voltage power lines and replacing key components at four substations to strengthen the local grid and make outages less common and shorter when they do happen.<\/p>\n
Built to handle what\u2019s ahead<\/p>\n
The Allentown-Lyons-South Hamburg 69-kilovolt (kV) Line Rebuild Project, led by Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission (MAIT), a FirstEnergy Transmission company, will replace aging infrastructure with stronger poles and modern wires that can better withstand severe weather, falling trees, and other hazards that commonly cause outages.<\/p>\n
The rebuilt line will improve the flow of electricity through the system, making it easier to reroute power during emergencies or maintenance. This improvement will also support future growth in southeast Pennsylvania, where FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company does business as Met-Ed. Construction on the project began in August and is expected to be completed in November 2027.<\/p>\n
Mark Mroczynski, President of Transmission for FirstEnergy, said, \u201cReliability is at the heart of everything we do. This project will help ensure that customers across southeastern Pennsylvania have a stronger, more flexible grid that can minimize outages and handle future growth. We\u2019re building a system that works smarter and lasts longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
View or download a video series on \u201cWhy a Modern Transmission System Matters to You\u201d on FirstEnergy\u2019s YouTube channel.<\/a><\/p>\n What this work means for you<\/p>\n As part of the upgrade, four electric substations will be equipped with new conductors \u2013 the thick cables that carry electricity in and out of the facility. It\u2019s like upgrading from a two-lane road to a four-lane highway: more room for traffic, fewer slowdowns, and a smoother ride for everyone.<\/p>\n New higher-capacity wires will help the electric system:<\/p>\n Handle more electricity during high-demand periods, like hot summer or cold winter days.Prevent overloads that can lead to outages.Restore power faster when problems do occur.Support future growth in homes, businesses, and infrastructure.Part of a bigger investment in reliability<\/p>\n This approximately $28 million project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy\u2019s long-term investment program to modernize the electric grid. FirstEnergy plans to invest $28 billion through Energize365 between 2025 and 2029. The goal: a smarter, more secure grid that meets the needs of today\u2019s customers and tomorrow\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n Met-Ed serves approximately 592,000 customers within 3,300 square miles of eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. Follow Met-Ed on X @Met Ed<\/a> and on Facebook at facebook.com\/MetEdElectric<\/a>.<\/p>\n FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation\u2019s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland, and New York. The company\u2019s transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp<\/a> or online at firstenergycorp.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n