FirstEnergy: Potomac Edison’s $6.6M Berkeley County Substation Online, Improving Local Reliability

Berkeley County substation goes online

Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., is placing a new $6.6 million substation into service in Berkeley County, West Virginia, that begins improving reliability for local residents and businesses. The facility, completed near Spring Mills High School and activated in December, is already serving roughly 2,400 customers in the Falling Waters and Spring Mills areas, the company says.

Automated substation reduces outages, supports growth

The new substation provides an additional power source in an area previously served by two substations nearing capacity, easing strain as Berkeley County remains one of the fastest‑growing counties in the state. By adding local capacity, Potomac Edison is seeking to limit the scope of future outages and to strengthen the feeder network to accommodate anticipated development and load growth.

Equipped with modern automated, or “smart,” controls, the installation allows the utility to detect faults more quickly, isolate problem segments and restore power remotely without always dispatching crews. That capability shortens outage durations and reduces customer interruptions, FirstEnergy’s West Virginia and Maryland president says, and the project demonstrates the company’s push for more resilient distribution infrastructure in rapidly expanding communities.

Project part of wider grid modernization program

The substation is billed as part of FirstEnergy’s Energize365 reliability program and aligns with a broader plan to invest about $36 billion between 2026 and 2030 to modernize and strengthen the grid. Potomac Edison and its parent are prioritizing similar upgrades across their footprint to improve system automation and reduce restoration times.

Service area and customer impact

Potomac Edison serves roughly 285,000 customers across several Maryland counties — including Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery and Washington — and about 155,000 customers in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. Company officials say the Berkeley County installation not only addresses near‑term capacity issues but also positions the network for expected longer‑term residential and commercial growth.

Community outreach and next steps

The utility is directing customers to its website and social channels for updates and information on reliability improvements. Potomac Edison notes that remote restoration and automated isolation functions deployed at the new substation will inform how it approaches future distribution investments in the region.