FirstEnergy completes $9 million power line upgrade & rail trail repaving project

FirstEnergy Corp.’s subsidiary, Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission (MAIT), has completed a $9 million project to rebuild a high-voltage power line.

The company said the project will enhance electric system reliability for approximately 3,300 Met-Ed customers in Lebanon County by making the line more resilient against strong storms.

The 69-kilovolt transmission line, which runs over 5 miles through North Cornwall, South Lebanon, and West Cornwall townships, connects the Alcoa and Broad Street substations. MAIT installed 127 new wood pole structures, hung new wires, and upgraded equipment at both substations as part of the project.

Portions of the line run along the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail, which was closed for several months this past winter while FirstEnergy replaced utility poles and lines. In exchange for the closure, the company repaved that portion of the trail.

Carl Bridenbaugh, FirstEnergy’s vice president of transmission, said the new infrastructure makes the line more resilient, ensuring the delivery of safe, reliable power to Lebanon Valley customers.

The project is part of Energizing the Future, a multi-year initiative to upgrade FirstEnergy’s transmission system. Since 2014, the company has invested over $10 billion in the initiative, upgrading and replacing power lines, incorporating smart technology, and enhancing substations, according to a press release.

Met-Ed serves approximately 570,000 customers in 14 Pennsylvania counties, while FirstEnergy’s 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems.