Dive Brief:
- Jersey Central Power & Light intends to spend about $267 million in 2015 on projects and other work to enhance and maintain its electrical system and help meet future load growth in its 13-county New Jersey service area.
- Major projects scheduled for this year include the completion of a new transmission line in Middlesex County, the expansion of a substation in Hunterdon County, and upgrades to a substation in Morris County.
- JCP&L has scheduled enhancements for 94 circuits, including the installation of remote-controlled equipment to reduce the duration of outages.
Dive Insight:
FirstEnergy Corp. has detailed the reliability enhancements planned at its JCP&L subsidiary, calling for a wide-ranging infrastructure program that includes upgrading and redesigning transmission circuits to reduce outages.
"Each year we carefully review and rigorously plan transmission and distribution projects that will enhance service to our customers," said Jim Fakult, president of JCP&L. "Our work is making a difference. In 2014 we had 17% fewer outages than the previous year, which we can largely attribute to the infrastructure work that has been done to help maintain the strength of our system."
The utility said it will also continue implementing its Energizing the Future transmission system enhancement program to help meet future load growth in the region. Projects for 2015 include the planning and design of a new 230-kV transmission line in Monmouth County, expected to cost nearly $82 million; a $10 million substation expansion of a substation in West Amwell, Hunterdon County; and beginning a $36 million project to install voltage regulating equipment at a substation in Morris County to enhance power quality.
