October 11, 2023

We have completed an expansion of the smart grid in western Pennsylvania to reinforce the local power system and help prevent lengthy service disruptions, especially during severe weather. The work includes the installation of new, automated equipment and technology in distribution substations and along neighborhood power lines serving more than 15,000 customers in Mercer County.

The work is part of the second phase of Penn Power’s Long-Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP II), approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to help enhance service for customers. The company has experienced a 74% decrease in customer minutes of interruption related to outages since the installation of smart grid technology under LTIIP.

“Penn Power has made significant investments in smart grid technologies in recent years, helping enhance our reliability performance and piloting new devices that our sister utilities have since begun to implement successfully withing their own service areas,” said Scott Wyman, president, Pennsylvania Operations. “The completion of this work ahead of winter is a win-win because it strengthens our electric system and keeps the lights on for customers when they depend on it the most to stay warm and comfortable.”

Hundreds of homes and businesses in the area will benefit from the installation of more than a dozen new automated reclosing devices in substations and along power lines that will help limit the frequency, duration and scope of service interruptions. These electrical devices:

• Work like a circuit breaker in a home that shuts off power when trouble occurs, with the added benefit of automatically reenergizing a substation or power line within seconds for certain types of outages to keep power safely flowing to customers.
• Are safer and more efficient because they often allow utility personnel to automatically restore service to customers instead of sending a crew to investigate.
• Isolate the outage to that area and limit the total number of affected customers if the device senses a more serious issue, like a fallen tree on electrical equipment.
• Quickly pinpoint the location of the fault and help utility personnel better understand the cause of the outage to help speed restoration.

Automated voltage regulators were also installed to help ensure safe, constant voltage levels along power lines on extremely cold or hot days when demand for electricity is high. In addition, Penn Power workers set nearly 100 new poles designed to withstand severe winter elements like high winds, ice and heavy, wet snow.

This work builds upon system upgrades that were completed in recent years across Penn Power’s service area in Mercer County, including the installation of more than 200 automated reclosing devices in rural, tree-filled communities, and the addition of interior fencing in four substations to help deter climbing animals and protect against electrical equipment interference that can cause power outages.