PJM Clears 765‑kV Central Ohio Corridor Led by FirstEnergy, Transource; Potomac Edison Substation Live

Central Ohio 765‑kV Corridor Wins PJM Approval

PJM Interconnection selects a major transmission project jointly developed by FirstEnergy Transmission LLC and Transource Energy to address rising electricity demand in central Ohio, the companies say. Proposed through PJM’s 2025 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan Open Window, the project is authorized by the PJM Board of Managers and is announced from Akron, Ohio on Feb. 16, 2026. The partners form Grid Growth Ventures LLC to jointly develop roughly 300 miles of new 765‑kilovolt lines and multiple substation upgrades serving the greater Columbus region.

FirstEnergy and its partners say the extra‑high‑voltage design consolidates power delivery into a single corridor, where one 765‑kV line can roughly match the output of multiple lower‑voltage circuits and power about two million homes. The companies emphasize the approach halves land use compared with multiple lower‑voltage rights‑of‑way, reduces local environmental impacts and supports rapid economic growth driven by manufacturing, data centers and electric vehicles. FirstEnergy Transmission President Mark Mroczynski underscores the company’s strategic position in a fast‑growing market and the importance of a stronger backbone to improve reliability and outage restoration.

The project aligns with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission priorities for efficient regional transmission development across PJM’s 13‑state footprint, the partners note. AEP Transmission highlights its U.S. leadership in extra‑high‑voltage ownership and experience with 765‑kV systems, while FirstEnergy and Transource anticipate staged construction and substation work timed to load forecasts and interconnection studies. Costs, schedules and permitting proceed through stakeholder review as the joint venture seeks to deliver expanded capacity, attract energy‑intensive businesses and provide a grid built for long‑term resilience.

Potomac Edison puts new Berkeley County substation into service

Potomac Edison, a FirstEnergy subsidiary, brings a $6.6 million substation online near Spring Mills High School that starts improving reliability for about 2,400 homes and businesses in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. The automated facility, part of the company’s Energize365 reliability program, adds capacity where two nearby substations were nearing limits and is designed to isolate issues and shorten outage restoration times.

FirstEnergy posts quarter disclosure and reinforces grid modernization plan

FirstEnergy discloses its fourth‑quarter results on Feb. 17, 2026, while directing readers to its investor materials for full financial detail. The company also reiterates a broader grid modernization commitment that includes the Energize365 initiatives and a planned multibillion‑dollar investment program to strengthen transmission and distribution assets through the decade.