Company offers advice to customers to manage rising temperatures and energy costs
WILLIAMSPORT, Md., June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In anticipation of increased electricity usage along with the potential for seasonal storms, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiary Potomac Edison is completing equipment inspections, preventative maintenance and tree pruning. will work across its Maryland service territory to help reduce potential outages and improve reliability for customers this summer.
Don McGettigan, interim president of FirstEnergy, Maryland: “Proactive inspections and maintenance of our lines and equipment are vital to ensuring we can continue to deliver safe, reliable power to our customers as temperatures rise this summer.”
Potomac Edison staff inspected more than 200 substations earlier this spring and completed necessary repairs before summer. Thermovision cameras were used to capture infrared images that can reveal potential problems with the equipment. By identifying critical points, maintenance and repairs can be completed before a power outage occurs.
Crews also conducted extensive inspections along neighborhood power lines, focusing on hundreds of line capacitors that maintain proper electrical voltage. These devices are especially useful in remote locations because they automatically adjust voltage levels to adapt to changing system conditions.
To help minimize the impact of tree-related damage during severe weather conditions, tree contractors plan to clear vegetation along nearly 1,800 miles of power lines in Maryland this year to help improve electric service reliability for the clients. They had already completed that work along 750 miles of power lines this spring.
As part of the company’s investment in vegetation management this year, trees have been inspected and pruned in a way that helps preserve tree health while maintaining safe distances near electrical equipment. In some cases, dangerous or diseased trees may be removed. Similar work will be performed along hundreds of miles of the company’s high-voltage transmission lines in Maryland.
With the summer storm season also comes higher than usual temperatures and increased energy costs. The following tips can help customers beat the heat while managing their electric bills this summer:
- Use fans: Moving air cools the skin faster, resulting in greater comfort on hot days.
- During sunny weather, close curtains or blinds on sunny windows to prevent direct radiant heating from affecting indoor temperatures.
- Use a programmable or smart thermostat to keep temperatures higher when no one is home and to lower the temperature before you get home.
- Seal any leaks with caulk or weather stripping to prevent hot air from entering your home.
- Check the air conditioning and furnace fan filters. Clogged filters waste energy and money by forcing HVAC systems to work harder than necessary.
- Avoid using heat-producing appliances during the hottest hours of the day. The less heat produced in the home, the less work the air conditioning has to do.
- There are payment arrangements and assistance programs available for customers who need help with their electric bills. For more information, visit firstenergycorp.com/billassisist.
Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in all or parts of Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery and Washington counties in Maryland and about 151,000 customers in the eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PotomacEdison and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the largest investor-owned electric systems in the country, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines connecting the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
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