Mon Power Completes Inspections and Maintenance to Help Enhance Service Reliability for Customers Through Summer Season
Prep work includes helicopter patrols, thermovision inspections and storm drill
FAIRMONT, W.Va., June 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of increased electric use along with the potential for seasonal storms, Mon Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has completed inspections and equipment maintenance across its West Virginia service territory to enhance service reliability for customers during the summer months.
Helicopter patrols have completed inspections of more than 2,100 miles of high-voltage transmission lines located in Mon Power's service territory. The inspections are designed to look for damaged wire, broken cross arms, failed insulators and other hardware problems not visible from the ground. Potential reliability issues identified during the inspection will be prioritized and addressed.
On the ground, Mon Power personnel inspected its more than 250 substations and completed needed repairs prior to the summer. The inspections included using thermovision cameras to capture infrared images that can reveal potential problems with equipment. By identifying hot spots, maintenance and repairs can be completed before a power outage occurs.
Crews also conducted inspections of distribution circuits, focusing on more than 580 line capacitors that maintain proper electric voltage. These devices are especially useful in remote locations because they automatically adjust voltage levels to accommodate changing system conditions.
"During the summer months, the demand for electricity rises along with the temperatures as our customers turn to fans and air conditioning to stay cool," said Jim Myers, president of FirstEnergy's West Virginia operations. "It's important for us to proactively inspect our equipment ahead of time and take the necessary steps to ensure we can meet that demand and help our customers stay comfortable."
Trimming trees around power lines is also key to preparing for the rigors of summer operations by maintaining proper clearances around electrical systems and helping to protect against tree-related outages. Mon Power will clear vegetation along approximately 5,700 miles of distribution and transmission power lines in its service area this year as part of its $70 million vegetation management program.
In addition, Mon Power recently completed its annual storm restoration exercise as part of preparations for hurricane season and potential severe storms that commonly occur during the summer months. Storm drills are becoming more common in the utility industry in the wake of severe weather over the last several years.
For more information on preparing for severe weather, or for updates if storms do cause power outages, visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.
As summer temperatures soar, Mon Power offers customers tips to help improve their energy efficiency at www.firstenergycorp.com/save_energy.
Summer also is a time when contractors and homeowners spend more time outdoors completing projects. Important outdoor electrical safety tips are available at www.firstenergycorp.com/publicsafety.
Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at www.mon-power.com, on Twitter @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MonPowerWV.
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 Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of workers completing summer readiness inspections are available for download on Flickr. A video of utility personnel conducting a thermovision inspection and explaining the work can be found on the company's YouTube channel.
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
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