Toledo Edison Completes Substation Work, Other Projects to Enhance Service Reliability During Summer Heat

TOLEDO, Ohio, June 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Toledo Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has recently completed substation upgrades in Perrysburg, as well as other inspections and maintenance work to help ensure system reliability as its northwestern Ohio service area moves into the high-demand summer season.

At a substation in Perrysburg, new circuit breakers and switches have been installed, along with other new components, and a power line serving the substation has been rebuilt.  The project will help enhance service reliability for customers in this growing area south of Toledo.

"The hot summer weather results in our customers using more air conditioning to stay cool," said Mark A. Jones, regional president of Toledo Edison.  "By proactively inspecting and maintaining our equipment, we help ensure system reliability to meet summer's increased electrical demand."

Additional work done to prepare for higher summer usage includes aerial inspections of approximately 1,100 miles of lines in Toledo Edison's service area.  The inspections are designed to look for damaged wire, broken cross arms, failed insulators, and other hardware problems not easily detected from the ground.  Any potential reliability issues identified during these inspections will be addressed promptly.

On the ground, the summer readiness inspections include using "thermovision" cameras to capture infrared images that can detect potential problems with Toledo Edison substation equipment such as transformers and capacitors.  By identifying hot spots, maintenance and repairs can be conducted prior to a power outage occurring.

Other utility work being done by Toledo Edison crews includes inspecting distribution circuits, including transformers, capacitors, reclosers and lightning arrestors to ensure the equipment is operational and the lines are ready to perform efficiently when demand for electricity increases during the summer, typically due to air conditioning usage.

Tree trimming is another key to preparing the Toledo Edison system to meet the rigors of summer operations by maintaining proper clearances around electrical systems and helping to protect against tree-related outages.  Toledo Edison tree contractors have completed about half of nearly 1,400 circuit miles of distribution lines they will trim this year. 

For updated company information, including hot weather tips, customers are urged to visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.

In addition to the work being done by company employees, summer also is a time when roofers, home builders, lawn service workers and other contractors work long hours.  To help stay safe around electrical equipment while on the job, FirstEnergy offers important tips at www.firstenergycorp.com/contractorsafety.  

Toledo Edison serves more than 300,000 customers in northwest Ohio.  Follow Toledo Edison on Twitter @ToledoEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to 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 more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.  Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

Editor's Note:  Photos of workers conducting thermovision inspections to enhance service reliability for FirstEnergy customers are available for download on Flickr.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.