January 29, 2025

The Illuminating Company is constructing a new neighborhood power line that will help enhance electric service reliability for hundreds of customers in Lorain County, particularly during severe weather.

The new line will help prevent or minimize the impact of outages caused by wind and other factors by connecting about 700 customers in Avon Lake to a different, upgraded substation nearby. This substation includes automated reclosing devices to help limit the frequency, duration and scope of service interruptions.

The 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. This technology is safer and more efficient because it often allows utility personnel to automatically restore service to customers instead of sending a crew to investigate.

“This project is one of many targeted investments our company is making in local communities to continue delivering reliable and safe power to our customers,” said Torrence Hinton, Ohio President. “We have dozens of similar projects in the works that will make a large positive impact on the communities we serve.”

Illuminating Company crews also began installing about 90 new utility poles at the end of 2024 and expect to fully complete the project in June 2026. The company is also replacing a mile of aged underground wire as a part of the job.

This work is part of Energize365, our grid evolution program focused on investing $26 billion between 2024 and 2028 across our six-state footprint to create a smarter, more secure grid that delivers the power customers depend on today while also meeting the challenges of tomorrow.