Companies offer tips for customers to
manage rising temperatures and energy costs
FAIRMONT, W.Va., June 26,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of
increased electric use along with the potential for seasonal
storms, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiaries Mon Power
and Potomac Edison are completing equipment inspections, preventive
maintenance and tree-trimming work across their West Virginia service territories to help
reduce potential outages and improve reliability for customers this
summer.
Jim Myers, FirstEnergy's
Acting President, West
Virginia: "Proactive inspections and maintenance of our
lines and equipment are vital to ensuring that we can continue to
deliver safe, reliable power to our customers and help them stay
comfortable as temperatures rise this summer."
Mon Power and Potomac Edison personnel inspected more than 300
West Virginia substations earlier this spring and completed needed
repairs prior to the summer. Thermovision cameras were used to
capture infrared images that can reveal potential problems with
equipment. By identifying hot spots, maintenance and repairs can be
completed before a power outage occurs.
Crews also conducted thorough inspections along neighborhood
power lines and focused on more than 700 capacitors that maintain
proper electric voltage along a power line. These devices are
especially useful in remote locations because they automatically
adjust voltage levels to accommodate changing system
conditions.
To help minimize the impact of tree-related damages during
severe weather, Mon Power and Potomac Edison's tree contractors
plan to clear vegetation along approximately 6,800 miles of power
lines in 2024 to help enhance electric service reliability for
West Virginia customers. They had
already completed that work along more than 3,000 miles of power
lines this spring.
As part of the company's investment in vegetation management
this year, trees have been inspected and pruned in a manner that
helps preserve the health of the tree while maintaining safe
clearances near electrical equipment. In some cases, trees that
present a danger or are diseased may be removed. Similar work will
be performed along hundreds of miles of the company's high-voltage
transmission power lines in West
Virginia.
At its regulated power plants, Fort Martin Power Station and
Harrison Power Station, Mon Power
has cleaned and inspected generation equipment—including main
turbines, boiler feed pumps and condensers—to ensure optimal
performance during the summer months.
With the summer storm season also comes higher-than-usual
temperatures and rising energy costs. The following tips can help
customers beat the heat while also managing their electric bills
this summer:
- Use fans – moving air cools skin faster, resulting in greater
comfort on hot days.
- During sunny weather, close drapes or blinds on windows facing
the sun to prevent direct radiant heating from impacting interior
temperatures.
- Use a programmable or smart thermostat to keep temperatures
higher when no one is home and to reduce the temperature before
arrival back home.
- Seal any leaks with caulk or weather stripping to prevent warm
air from sneaking into your home.
- Check air conditioner and furnace fan filters. Clogged filters
waste energy and money by forcing HVAC systems to work harder than
necessary.
- Avoid using heat-producing appliances during the hottest hours
of the day. The less heat produced at home, the less work the air
conditioner must do.
- Payment arrangements and assistance programs are available for
customers who need help with their electric bills. For more
information, visit firstenergycorp.com/billassist.
Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power
at mon-power.com, on X, formerly known as
Twitter, @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook
at facebook.com/MonPowerWV.
Potomac Edison serves about 151,000 customers in the Eastern
Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow
Potomac Edison at www.potomacedison.com, on X
@PotomacEdison and on Facebook
at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving customers in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West
Virginia, Maryland and
New York. The company's
transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of
transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Follow FirstEnergy online
at firstenergycorp.com and on
X @FirstEnergyCorp.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.