FirstEnergy's power plants prepared for winter weather

FirstEnergy has completed comprehensive preventive maintenance work on its 15 power plants in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia in order to ensure they are well-prepared to deliver reliable operations when electricity demand will be at its highest during winter.

This includes work on its six coal-fired power plants.

In preparation for low temperatures and icy conditions, plant operators installed storm barriers to protect plant equipment from winter weather, set up heating elements that provide additional warmth to piping, provided temporary heaters in areas most susceptible to cold, added anti-freeze to equipment and increased fuel stockpiles at the coal-fired facilities.

During winter, operators run water pumps more in order to avoid freezing, keep oil flow within transformers more constant, and take precautions to prevent cooling towers from icing.

The company has indicated it will also stay in close contact with PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., the regional grid operator, to avoid scheduling plant maintenance work during periods of high electricity demand.

Winter preparations also were supported by a number of long-term reliability projects completed at various power plant facilities this year.

"FirstEnergy's diverse generating fleet has consistently provided electricity to customers in recent winters when our region was tested with extreme temperatures," said Jim Lash, President, FirstEnergy Generation. "In fact, our plants operated reliably when a new peak demand record was set in February 2015, and they are again prepared to deliver during winter conditions this year."

FirstEnergy believes a continued strong performance throughout the winter months will help make sure it is well-positioned to meet demand peaks, such as those experienced during recent harsh winters.

Edited from press release by Harleigh Hobbs

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/power/25112015/firstenergys-power-plants-prepared-for-winter-weather-3201/