West Penn Power's 2020 Tree Trimming Program to Enhance Service Reliability

GREENSBURG, Pa., June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- West Penn Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), continues to conduct tree trimming work in communities across its 24-county Pennsylvania service area as part of its ongoing efforts to help enhance service reliability. 

Maintaining proper clearances around electrical equipment can reduce the frequency and duration of tree-related power outages, especially those associated with severe weather such as summer thunderstorms.

Since the beginning of the year, tree contractors have trimmed about 2,000 circuit miles of electric lines in the West Penn Power service area as part of the $46 million vegetation management program for 2020. West Penn Power's program remains on track to complete an additional 2,600 miles of work by year end.

"Our tree trimming is making a difference in keeping the lights on for our customers and more quickly restoring service, particularly after severe weather," said John Rea, regional president of West Penn Power. "We are making tremendous progress in our proactive removal of tens of thousands of deteriorated ash trees along our electric distribution lines harmed or killed by the Emerald Ash Borer."

West Penn Power's tree program in 2020 includes about $4 million to remove about 26,000 dead and dying ash trees along distribution lines in western Pennsylvania.  Crews have removed about 9,600 ash trees so far this year.

West Penn Power is scheduled in 2020 to trim trees along transmission lines and distribution circuits in the following counties:

• Adams - Franklin Township
• Allegheny – Elizabeth, Forward, Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair, South Fayette, East Deer Township, Harmar Township, Tarentum, Frazier Township, Lincoln, North Versailles Township, South Versailles Township, Pleasant Hills and South Park Township
• Armstrong – Wayne Township, Manor Township, South Buffalo Township, Mahoning Township, East Franklin Township, Cowanshannock Township, Madison Township, Kittanning Township, Plum Creek Township, Kiskiminetas Township and South Bend Township
• Bedford – Londonderry Township, East Providence Township and Cumberland Valley Township
• Butler –   Cherry Township, Marion Township, Saxonburg Borough, Slippery Rock, Slippery Rock Township, Summit Township, Winfield Township, Worth Township, Middlesex Township, Clinton Township, Butler, Center Township, Jefferson Township, Penn Township, Brady Township and Clay Township
• Centre – State College, Patton Township, Ferguson Township, Walker Township, Spring Township, Gregg Township, Bellefonte, Benner Township, College Township, Union Township, Millheim, Penn Township, Miles Township and Harris Township
• Clarion – Clarion, Clarion Township, Toby Township, Piney Township, Sligo, Porter Township, Limestone Township and Monroe Township
• Clinton County – Lamar Township, Porter Township
• Elk County – Ridgway, Ridgway Township, St. Mary's, Fox Township, Johnsonburg and Jones Township
• Fayette – Connellsville, South Connellsville, Uniontown, Bullskin Township, Washington Township, Franklin Township, Salt Lick Township, Belle Vernon, North Belle Vernon, South Union Township, North Union Township, Springhill Township, Springfield Township, Georges Township, Menallen Township, Upper Tyrone Township, Dunbar Borough and Dunbar Township
• Franklin – Chambersburg, Guilford Township, Greencastle, Mercersburg, St. Thomas Township, Washington Township, Montgomery Township, Peters Township, Antrim Township, Greene Township and Hamilton Township
• Fulton –Brush Creek Township, Licking Creek Township
• Greene – Whiteley Township, Cumberland Township, Franklin Township, Greene Township, Monongahela Township, Perry Township, Spring Hill Township, Jefferson Township and Dunkard Township
• McKean County – Kane, Hamlin Township, Wetmore Township and Sergeant
• Washington – Charleroi, Canonsburg, New Eagle, Mount Pleasant Township, South Franklin Township, Chartiers, Smith Township, West Bethlehem Township, Carroll Township, Cecil Township, Buffalo Township, Peters Township, North Strabane, South Strabane, Amwell Township, Robinson Township, Hanover Township, Nottingham Township, East Washington, Morris Township, Blaine Township, Canton Township, Cross Creek Township, Houston, Hopewell Township, Independence Township, West Middleton and North Franklin   
• Westmoreland – Greensburg, Hempfield Township, Latrobe, Murrysville, Unity Township, Rostraver Township, Bell Township, Loyalhanna Township, New Kensington, Lower Burrell, Upper Burrell, Washington Township, Derry Township, Arnold, Penn Township, Allegheny Township, East Huntingdon Township, South Huntingdon Township, North Huntingdon, Salem Township, Manor, Vandergrift, West Newton and Ligonier

The tree trimming program includes inspecting vegetation near the lines to ensure trees are pruned in a manner that helps preserve the health of the tree, while also maintaining safety near electric facilities.  Trees that present a danger or are diseased also may be removed. 

As part of its notification process, West Penn Power works with municipalities to inform them of tree trimming schedules. In addition, customers living in areas along company rights-of-way also are notified prior to vegetation management work being done. 

The vegetation management work is conducted by qualified line clearance arborists under the company's direction, including Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Jaflo Inc., Lewis Tree Service Inc., Penn Line Service Inc., Davey Tree Expert Company, and Townsend Tree.

West Penn Power serves approximately 725,000 customers within in 24 counties within central and southwestern Pennsylvania. Follow West Penn Power on Twitter @W_Penn_Power and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WestPennPower.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to 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 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Editor's Note:  Photos of workers using bucket trucks to trim trees near FirstEnergy power lines are available for download on Flickr. A video explaining FirstEnergy's vegetation management techniques can also be found on YouTube.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.