OHIO – FirstEnergy Corp., subsidiary of American Transmission Systems is constructing a new substation in Ashland County to meet the area's future energy demands.

The new infrastructure includes the construction of two short, high-voltage lines and a substation. The project should strengthen the transmission system in the region, including more than 22,000 Ohio Edison customers in Milton Township, Ashland and nearby communities.

"The new substation will act as a hub, tying in several adjacent transmission lines to provide increased flexibility and resiliency to our system," said Carl Bridenbaugh, FirstEnergy's vice president of Transmission. "These upgrades are designed to enhance service reliability for our customers now and also in the future as we continue to experience economic growth in the region."

As part of the $ 11.6 million project, utility crews recently began laying the foundation and will begin to erect steel structures at the new 89,500-square-foot substation site in Milton Township this spring. In addition, crews will construct two short power lines to connect the new substation to existing 138 kV lines located nearby.

When complete, the new facility will tie in five high-voltage power lines that will channel power to local lines serving towns and communities. A steel monopole will be installed on each side of the substation to connect the new power lines to the facility.

The work underway in Ashland County began in September 2021 and is expected to be completed this August. Additional work completed in the area includes the installation of new automated technology and equipment to enhance service reliability for hundreds of residents and businesses.

The project is part of FirstEnergy's multi-year initiative Energizing the Future, designed to upgrade the transmission system to reinforce the power grid and help reduce the frequency and duration of customer outages.

Source: T&D World