FAIRMONT, W.Va., Oct. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mon Power, a
subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), is upgrading a
transmission substation near Thomas,
W.Va., to help connect a new wind farm to the regional
electric grid. The work also is expected to enhance electric
service to Mon Power customers in the area.
The centerpiece of the $2.2
million substation project is installing a new 138-kilovolt
(kV) transformer capable of accommodating the output from a new
wind farm being built by a developer in nearby Grant County.
Substation transformers enable higher transmission voltages to be
changed to lower levels that can be used by customers to power
electrical devices
Slated for completion in late November, the upgrade included a
new circuit breaker and relay devices, which automatically
interrupt the flow of electricity to protect equipment from events
such as tree-related outages or lightning strikes.
Transmission dispatchers can remotely monitor conditions at the
substation, and if needed, reset the devices automatically to help
reduce the duration and number of customers affected if an outage
occurs.
"We work with energy project developers to help efficiently
connect their new facilities to the grid, along with supporting
existing baseload technology," said Holly
Kauffman, president of FirstEnergy's West Virginia operations. "The
substation improvements also will help provide redundancy to
enhance service reliability for Mon Power customers in the
area."
Mon Power substation construction crews have completed all
foundation work and used a heavy-duty crane to position the new
transformer into place on its cement pad. The new transformer
measures about 14 feet long by 8 feet wide by 8 feet tall and
weighs about 112,000 pounds.
The operator of the new wind farm in northwestern Grant County will build a new 11-mile long,
138 kV transmission line that will connect to the substation.
Mon Power serves about 385,000 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 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. Visit FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com
and follow on Twitter at @FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of Mon Power's substation
upgrades are available for download on Flickr.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.