Potomac Edison completes projects to enhance service in Maryland counties
Potomac Edison wrapped up two new distribution automation projects in Carroll and Garrett counties in Maryland and installed 13 new substation reclosers in Frederick and Garrett counties.
The work, approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission, is part of a broader initiative by the company to enhance service reliability and reduce outages for customers.
“These enhancements and upgrades to our system will generate meaningful benefits by improving our service restoration capabilities and reducing the number of momentary and sustained power outages our customers’ experience,” James A. Sears, Jr., president of FirstEnergy’s Maryland operations, said. Potomac Energy is owned by FirstEnergy.
The distribution automation projects allow utility personnel to automatically switch customers to an adjacent power line if an outage occurs. The automation work completed in Carroll and Garrett counties will benefit 4,056 customers. The project will cost about $1 million and includes the installation of 10 automated reclosers, new line regulators for voltage support, and the replacement of a half-mile of overhead power lines.
Also, the new substation reclosers project, which has taken place over the past 10 months in Frederick and Garrett counties, will cost about $1.5 million. The reclosers are located at all Potomac Edison substations to protect the power lines that feed customers. The newer model reclosers can isolate a problem on one portion of a power line while keeping electricity flowing through the rest of the line, minimizing the number of outages. Potomac Edison personnel also can operate the new reclosers remotely.
Overall, the automation and recloser initiatives are scheduled to continue through the end of 2022. Also, Potomac Edison is replacing approximately 50 miles of underground electrical cable each year.
Potomac Edison serves about 275,000 customers in all or parts of Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery, and Washington counties in Maryland and 151,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
