Le Lézard
Classified in: Oil industry
Subject: PSF

Ohio Edison Completes Inspections and Maintenance In Preparation for Winter Weather


AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ohio Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), is preparing for winter by conducting inspections and maintenance on weather-sensitive equipment across its northern and central Ohio service areas. 

Ohio Edison Logo (PRNewsfoto/FirstEnergy Corp.)

Winter's cold temperatures can produce increased demand for electricity, and heavy snow and wind have the potential to cause damage to poles, wires and substations, requiring crews to make repairs in difficult conditions.  Completing inspections and maintenance on equipment now can help enhance system resiliency to keep power flowing to customers when severe winter weather strikes.

"Crews are readying our infrastructure for the rigors of winter by completing various maintenance tasks across our system," said Rich Sweeney, regional president of Ohio Edison.  "The steps we take now in advance of potential severe weather conditions help enhance the service we provide to our customers."

The work includes inspecting heating equipment for substation components, such as capacitor banks, transformers and oil- and gas-filled circuit breakers.  Some substations also include buildings that house remote-controlled relay equipment.  These structures will be winterized and have the heating systems checked.

Substation electricians also inspect batteries used to power relays that sense faults on the network and motors that automatically operate switches to isolate those problems, helping to prevent or reduce service interruptions.  Crews use special thermal-imaging cameras to detect hot spots invisible to the naked eye on equipment that could malfunction as customers crank up their heaters to combat the cold.

Company bucket trucks and other vehicles also are being inspected to help ensure safe operation during the winter season.  Special emphasis is placed on the condition of tires and air braking systems, which can freeze up if moisture is present.  In addition, snow removal equipment is being checked. 

Helicopter patrols also are completing inspections on FirstEnergy transmission lines located in the Ohio Edison area.  The inspections are designed to look for damaged wire, broken cross arms, failed insulators, and other hardware problems not visible from the ground.  Any potential reliability issues identified during the inspection may then be addressed.

Tree trimming throughout the year also helps meet the rigors of winter operations by maintaining proper clearances around electrical systems and helping to protect against tree-related outages.  Ohio Edison tree contractors expect to complete trimming along more than 5,600 circuit miles of electric lines in 2018.

Ohio Edison serves more than 1 million customers across 34 Ohio counties. Follow Ohio Edison on Twitter @OhioEdison and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OhioEdison.

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.  Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note:  Photos of FirstEnergy's utilities' winter inspection and maintenance program are available for download on Flickr.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.


These press releases may also interest you

at 16:30
Peabody today filed its Proxy Statement for its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 9, 2024, which disclosed that current members of Peabody's Board of Directors Samantha B. Algaze and David J. Miller have determined that they will...

at 16:15
Quanta Services, Inc. announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend to stockholders of $0.09 per share, or a rate of $0.36 per share on an annualized basis. The dividend is payable on April 17, 2024, to...

at 16:15
ONEOK, Inc. will release first quarter 2024 earnings after the market closes on April 30, 2024. ONEOK's executive management will participate in a conference call the following day.      What:              ONEOK first quarter 2024 earnings...

at 16:08
Company successfully executed and closed $150 million tax exempt bond offering for the Company's Kentucky Lithium refining facilityThe first domestic, commercial producer of separated and high-purity REEs from recycled permanent magnets and...

at 16:05
Emeren Group Ltd ("Emeren" or the "Company") (www.emeren.com) , a leading global solar project developer, owner, and operator, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023. Emeren's...

at 16:05
Vermilion Energy Inc. ("Vermilion", "We", "Our", "Us" or the "Company") will release its 2024 first quarter operating and condensed financial results on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 after the close of North American markets. The unaudited interim...



News published on and distributed by: