Met-Ed to install TripSavers in Pennsylvania service area

Metropolitan Edison Co. (Met-Ed) is in the process of installing more than 160 automated TripSaver devices on power lines throughout its Pennsylvania service area.

The TripSaver devices limit the frequency, duration, and scope of service interruptions. They work like a circuit breaker with the added benefit of automatically re-energizing a power line within seconds to keep power flowing to customers. So, when there is a temporary problem with a line, such as a tree limb contacting the line, the TripSaver can sense when the branch is gone and automatically re-energize the line to prevent an extended outage in the neighborhood – all in a matter of seconds. If there is a more serious issue, such as a fallen tree on the power line, it will isolate the outage to that area and limit the total number of affected customers. The device’s smart technology quickly pinpoints the location of the electrical fault and helps utility personnel identify it and restore power.

“TripSavers allow us to automatically restore service to customers rather than send a truck and a line crew to investigate the issue, which is especially useful in more remote areas of our widespread service territory,” Linda Moss, regional president of Met-Ed, said. “These devices allow for safer and more efficient service restoration for both our employees and our customers.”

The $1.4 million project is part of Met-Ed’s Long-Term Infrastructure Improvement Plan (LTIIP II), a $153 million initiative to accelerate capital investments through 2024.

Through the end of this year, Met-Ed will install TripSavers in Boyertown, Easton, Hanover, Lebanon, Reading, Stroudsburg, and York.

Met-Ed – a subsidiary of FirstEnergy — serves approximately 570,000 customers within 3,300 square miles of eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania.