Potomac Edison Completes Inspections and Maintenance

In anticipation of increased electric use along with the potential for seasonal storms, FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary Potomac Edison is completing equipment inspections, preventive maintenance and tree-trimming work across its Maryland service territory to help reduce potential outages and improve reliability for customers this summer.

Don McGettigan, FirstEnergy's Acting President, Maryland: "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 as temperatures rise this summer."

Potomac Edison personnel inspected more than 200 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 hundreds of line capacitors that maintain proper electric voltage. 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 damage during severe weather, tree contractors plan to clear vegetation along nearly 1,800 miles of power lines in Maryland this year to help enhance electric service reliability for customers. They had already completed that work along 750 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 Maryland.

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.