West Penn Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has begun work to connect a pair of solar energy projects in Fulton and Franklin counties to the electric grid. The two solar farms are being developed by global power company AES Corporation and will generate 220 megawatts of clean, renewable energy designated for a customer power purchase agreement.
"FirstEnergy is committed to supporting the global energy transition to renewable resources, and we are pleased to work with AES to help facilitate the delivery of clean energy through connection of these new solar projects," said Carl Bridenbaugh, FirstEnergy's vice president of transmission. "This work aligns with FirstEnergy's long-term strategy of pursuing opportunities that help enable the transition to a clean, resilient energy future."
For the first project, West Penn Power will expand its McConnellsburg substation in Fulton County and add a new terminal at the substation to provide a connection point for a 70-megawatt solar farm that AES is developing in Ayr Township.
The second project is a 150-megawatt solar farm in Peters and Saint Thomas Townships in Franklin County. West Penn Power is constructing a new substation on McDowell Road that will serve as an interconnection for the farm. AES will build a 138-kilovolt line from the solar farm into the substation, and West Penn Power will add a 378-foot loop to connect the substation to one of its existing 138-kilovolt transmission lines that runs between the company's Guilford and McConnellsburg substations. The company will make upgrades at the Guilford and McConnellsburg substations to support the solar project as well.
West Penn Power expects to complete the connection work for both projects in late 2023, with the two solar farms expected to be in service and delivering clean energy in early 2024.
FirstEnergy continues to make investments that support clean energy and improve grid reliability and resiliency. Through its multi-year Energizing the Future initiative, the company is upgrading its transmission system with advanced equipment and technologies that will reinforce the power grid and help reduce the frequency and duration of customer outages. Since 2014, FirstEnergy has upgraded or replaced existing power lines, incorporated smart technology into the grid and upgraded dozens of substations with new equipment and enhanced security features. Through 2022, FirstEnergy has invested more than $10 billion in the Energizing the Future initiative.
The AES Corporation is a Fortune 500 global power company accelerating the future of energy. AES is based in Arlington, Virginia, and has a regional office in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. As of May 2023, AES has 4,900 megawatts of operating wind, solar and energy storage projects in the United States and is one of the nation's leading renewable energy developers. The company's U.S. backlog, which includes projects with signed contracts that are not yet operational, is now 4,800 megawatts, including 3,100 megawatts under construction.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 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 www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.
