READING, Pa., Oct. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To help enhance the reliability of its system, Pennsylvania Electric Company (Penelec), a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) utility, expects to replace or repair more than 3,700 wooden utility poles this year as part of the company's annual inspection program. The poles would stretch about 28 miles if laid end to end.

Overall, Penelec crews have inspected more than 43,400 of its 493,000 wooden poles in 2016 for signs of wear, insect infestation or damage from motor vehicle accidents.

A standard 40-foot wooden distribution pole typically is expected to last more than 50 years. The most common utility pole is made from a Southern Yellow Pine tree and costs about $400.

"Penelec's utility poles are vital to the delivery of electricity to homes and businesses in our service area," said Scott Wyman, regional president, Penelec. "Our inspection and maintenance program for the poles is designed to help enhance service reliability for our customers. While certainly durable, these poles are subject to damage from severe weather, falling trees, and traffic accidents, and periodically need to be replaced or repaired."

Typically, specialized contractors perform the pole inspections. As part of the process, a visual inspection is completed, along with inspecting the pole to determine if the interior is sound. Poles also can be reinforced rather than replaced. One of the most common reinforcement techniques is to snug a C-shaped steel beam against the pole, jackhammer the beam into the ground, and secure it to the pole with tight, metal bands.

All wooden poles throughout the 31-county Penelec service territory are inspected on a 12-year cycle. Inspections began in January and continued through summer, with the remaining pole replacements and repairs scheduled to be completed during the fall.

Year-to-date, Penelec has inspected 43,448 wooden poles in and around the following communities:


    --  Altoona - 1,396
    --  Bedford - 1,535
    --  Brookville - 1,270
    --  Clearfield - 2,856
    --  Corry - 3,439
    --  Ebensburg - 1,086
    --  Dubois - 2,572
    --  Indiana - 792
    --  Erie - 2,299
    --  Huntingdon - 883
    --  Johnstown - 2,089
    --  Knox - 2,075
    --  Lewistown - 1,298
    --  Madera - 1,592
    --  Oil City - 1,900
    --  Meadville - 1,356
    --  Bradford - 1,891
    --  Mansfield - 721
    --  Montrose - 489
    --  Preston Park - 2,499
    --  Punxsutawney - 3
    --  Dry Run - 1,414
    --  Sayre - 275
    --  Shippensburg - 1,071
    --  Somerset - 1,493
    --  Towanda - 2,624
    --  Warren - 2,530

Penelec serves approximately 600,000 customers in 31 Pennsylvania counties. Follow Penelec on Twitter @Penelec and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PenelecElectric.

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 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.