AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nine fossil and
nuclear generating stations owned by subsidiaries of FirstEnergy
Corp. (NYSE: FE) in Ohio,
Pennsylvania and West Virginia today have completed
comprehensive preventive maintenance work to help them operate
reliably this winter, when increased heating needs raise the demand
for electricity.
"FirstEnergy's coal and nuclear plants are resilient facilities
that provide electricity when customers need it most," said
Don Moul, president, FirstEnergy
Generation. "Because the plants maintain large quantities of
onsite fuel, they are not affected by fuel delivery disruptions
that occur due to ice, snow and extreme cold temperatures.
Our seasonal work activities add another layer of assurance that
these plants will continue to operate reliably during all types of
weather."
FirstEnergy's nuclear plants follow a 13-part winter readiness
program, and its coal plants implement a similar, eight-step
process. These programs outline inspections of buildings,
equipment and heating systems, guide key weatherization activities,
and establish seasonal-specific training for plant personnel.
In total, more than 500 maintenance activities have been
completed at the company's coal and nuclear plants in preparation
for winter.
To prepare for frigid temperatures and icy conditions, plant
operators have installed storm barriers to protect equipment from
harsh weather, set up heating elements that provide additional
warmth to piping and in areas most susceptible to cold, added
anti-freeze to equipment, and increased fuel stockpiles at
coal-fired facilities.
Throughout the cold months, operators will run water pumps more
often to avoid freezing, keep oil flow within transformers more
constant, and take precautions to prevent cooling towers from
icing. FirstEnergy will also stay in close contact with PJM
Interconnection, L.L.C., the regional grid operator, to avoid
scheduling plant maintenance work during periods of high
electricity demand.
"While we place special attention on verifying the readiness of
our equipment and operations prior to seasonal changes, our power
plants are inspected and maintained year-round to promote safe,
efficient performance," said Sam
Belcher, chief nuclear officer for FirstEnergy Nuclear
Operating Company (FENOC). "Projects completed throughout the
year complement our winter preparation activities and ensure top
performance no matter the weather."
A number of long-term reliability projects have been completed
at FirstEnergy generating facilities in 2017. A new, large
transformer that connects the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in
Perry, Ohio, with the electrical
grid was installed at the site during its spring refueling outage,
ensuring a critical power source is available for plant
operation. Turbine and boiler work has been completed to
continue reliable performance at the coal-fired Bruce Mansfield Power Plant in Shippingport, Pa. and W. H. Sammis Power Plant
in Stratton, Ohio. In
addition, refurbishment of the cooling tower is nearing completion
at the Fort Martin Power Station in Maidsville, W.Va.
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, and its subsidiaries control nearly 17,000 megawatts of
generation capacity. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter
@FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.
Editor's Note: Photos of some of the reliability
projects at FirstEnergy's generating stations are available for
download on Flickr.
View original content with
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/firstenergy-power-plants-prepared-to-operate-reliably-through-winter-months-300567722.html
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.