FirstEnergy Corp. has been awarded $50 million in federal funding by the U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Deployment Office for projects that will enhance electric service reliability for more than 53,000 Mon Power and Potomac Edison customers in West Virginia and Maryland.
The funding is part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The funding will be applied toward system upgrades totaling nearly $127 million, benefiting approximately 50,660 customers in West Virginia and 2,500 customers in Maryland. Expected to be complete in late 2029, the work across 19 counties will be implemented by FirstEnergy electric companies Mon Power and Potomac Edison.
The planned upgrades will feature the installation of new technology and equipment that will help reduce the number and duration of outages that customers in those counties experience. The upgrades will also benefit more than 450 critical facilities such as schools and hospitals by improving electric service reliability.
Jim Myers, Vice President of FirstEnergy's West Virginia and Maryland Operations: "We are deeply grateful to receive this funding from the Grid Deployment Office, which will support system enhancements that help keep the lights on for thousands of customers and hundreds of critical facilities across our service territory."
The planned upgrades include:
- Installation of smart devices on power lines that allow operators to remotely isolate the damage and reduce the number of customers affected by outages.
- Automation projects that allow utility personnel to automatically switch customers to an adjacent power line in the event of outages.
- Installation of new wires that can carry increased electrical current, making those lines capable of serving as a backup power feed for adjacent lines while repairs are made during an outage.
In Mon Power's service area, the upgrades are expected to benefit approximately 47,260 customers in Barbour, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Greenbrier, Harrison, Lewis, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randoloph, Roane, Tucker, Upshur, Webster, Wetzel and Wood counties.
In Potomac Edison's service area, the upgrades will benefit approximately 3,400 customers in Berkeley, Jefferson and Mineral counties in West Virginia and 2,500 customers in Western Maryland.
The project includes the creation of a new four-year apprenticeship program with training centers in Williamsport, Maryland, and Fairmont, West Virginia. FirstEnergy's apprenticeship program helps address the continuing need for new line workers and substation electricians, offering hired apprentices paid, full-time employment that begins with the start of their comprehensive training.
Earlier this fall, Mon Power was awarded $5 million in federal funding by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations for a project that will enhance electric service reliability for customers in parts of rural West Virginia.
