First Energy plans $166 million in upgrades in West Virginia

First Energy Corporation, owner of Mon Power, plans $166 million infrastructure upgrade in 34 West Virginia counties in 2017, including several projects in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The company says the projects include transmission enhancements to reinforce the system, along with constructing new distribution lines and inspecting and replacing utility poles and other equipment.

Projects in the Mid-Ohio Valley under this plan include:

$2.2 million to move 4 transmission lines in Pleasants County to bypass the substation at the decommissioned Willow Island Generation Station and connect them with another substation several miles away. This project is expected to be completed in June.

$1.3 million to replace 26 sets of disconnect switches on 138-KV breakers at numerous electrical substations in Mon Power's service area.

$200,000 to install a new, fiber-optic communication line across the Ohio River to connect a Mon Power substations in Parkersburg with an AEP substation in Ohio, to prevent damage to equipment when fault is detected at either substation.

$9.2 million to inspect, replace or upgrade 23,000 distribution poles and equipment on distribution circuits (including new wires, cables and fuses) across the Mon Power service area.

Mon Power says it provides electricity to about 385,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties.