Apr 22, 2019   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

Tree Trimming Program Underway in Penn Power

AKRON, Ohio, April 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) continues to conduct tree trimming work in communities across its Pennsylvania Power (Penn Power) service area in Pennsylvania. This work helps keep power flowing to customers around the clock by preventing tree-related outages.

Maintaining proper clearances around electrical equipment can help reduce the frequency and duration of power outages, especially those associated with severe weather such as the storms experienced this past winter. In 2019, the company will spend nearly $9 million to trim more than 1,100 miles of electric lines across Penn Power's service area.

"Tree branches interfering with power lines is a leading cause of service disruptions in the Penn Power territory," said Edward L. Shuttleworth, who was recently named regional president of Ohio Edison and Penn Power. "Tree trimming is one of the most important things we do every year to help maintain our electric system and enhance service reliability."

Trimming will take place this year in all or parts of the following communities:

    --  Adams Township, Beaver Falls, Callery, Chippewa, Conneaut Lake,
        Cranberry, Darlington, Ellwood City, Forward Township, Greenville, Grove
        City, Hadley, Hermitage, Ingomar, Jackson Center, Jackson Township,
        Marion Township, Marshall Township, McCandless Township, Mercer, New
        Castle, North Beaver Township, North Sewickley, Portersville, Pine
        Township, Pulaski, Richland Township, Ross Township, Sandy Lake, Sharon,
        Sharpsville, Slippery Rock Township, Stoneboro, Warrendale, Wayne
        Township, West Middlesex, Wexford and Wheatland

The vegetation management work is conducted by certified forestry experts under the company's direction, including Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Davey Tree Expert Company, Nelson Tree Service Inc., PennLine Service, Townsend Tree Service and Wright Tree Service.

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

The program includes inspecting trees near the lines to ensure they're 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.

Penn Power is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE:FE) and serves more than 160,000 customers in all or parts of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Lawrence, and Mercer counties in western Pennsylvania. Follow Penn Power on Twitter @Penn_Power, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennPower, and online at www.pennpower.com.

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 more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

Editor's Note: Photos of workers using bucket trucks to trim trees near FirstEnergy power lines are available for download on Flickr.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.