FirstEnergy Pennsylvania (FE PA), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has secured approval from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PaPUC) for the third phase of its Long-Term Infrastructure Improvement Plans (LTIIP III). The initiative will allocate $1.42 billion in capital investments through 2029, enhancing grid reliability for over two million customers statewide.

LTIIP III builds on over $1 billion invested in previous phases between 2016 and 2024, which reduced service interruption frequency by 14% in upgraded areas since 2019. According to John Hawkins, President of Pennsylvania Operations, the plan aims to further improve service by modernizing infrastructure and enhancing system resilience.

Key modernization projects include installing automated protective devices, updating underground networks, and replacing aging substation equipment. Resiliency efforts will involve replacing aging poles, underground cables, and strategically placing equipment underground to mitigate outage risks.

The anticipated service area investments for 2025-2029 are as follows:

• Penelec: $538 million
• Met-Ed: $382 million
• West Penn Power: $368 million
• Penn Power: $133 million

FE PA confirmed that there will be no bill impact in 2025, as initial costs are already covered under the recently approved distribution rate review. LTIIP III is part of the broader Energize365 program, which seeks to modernize the grid while accommodating clean energy and electrification advancements.