Toledo Edison on schedule to complete substation

TOLEDO, Ohio -- - Toledo Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., will soon complete construction of a new $12 million high-voltage transmission substation in Fulton County to support the load growth experienced in the region and enhance service reliability. The new substation is expected to be in operation by the end of the year.

Located in Fulton Township, northwest of the Village of Swanton, the new substation will be supplied by a nearby existing 345 kV transmission line and will reinforce the existing 138 kV transmission line in the western part of Toledo Edison's service area to help maintain reliable service.

"This new substation demonstrates a continuing commitment to supporting load growth and enhancing reliability across our service area," said Linda Moss, regional president of Toledo Edison. "This investment was necessary because industrial load in the area continues to grow, which is encouraging news for the economy and northwest Ohio."

The substation will provide additional voltage support to five substations on Toledo Edison's system, as well as five customer substations at large industrial operations in the area.

Construction on the Fulton Substation began in February. Contractors were used for all the underground and concrete work, and the rest of the construction is being completed by Toledo Edison employees. The transformer in this substation holds 12,600 gallons of mineral oil and will weigh almost 200 tons when fully assembled. The substation is expected to pay more than $650,000 in property taxes annually, which will benefit local schools, Fulton Township and Fulton County.

Completion of the Fulton Substation is just one part of a planned $23 million in system upgrades in Toledo Edison's service area during 2013. The company also will inspect and preemptively replace equipment and utility poles, replace underground vault tops and continue vegetation management programs across its service area, all designed to enhance service reliability.

FirstEnergy has 10 electric distribution companies that form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland, and New York.