April 15, 2025

Ohio Edison is investing in grid upgrades to help prevent and minimize the impact of power outages in Clark County and meet the projected energy needs of industrial facilities west of Columbus.

The work is expected to enhance reliability for nearly 2,700 Ohio Edison customers in the Springfield area while enabling two local manufacturers to expand their businesses, potentially creating hundreds of local jobs.

“This is an exciting time for economic development in our region as more and more large companies are realizing what a great place central Ohio is to start or expand their business,” said Torrence Hinton, Ohio President. “We’re proud to invest in work that helps advance business development while strengthening our system to meet the growing demand for safe and reliable power for many years to come.”

These Clark County upgrades are part of Energize365, a multi-year grid evolution program focused on transmission and distribution investments that will deliver the power our customers depend on today while also meeting the challenges of tomorrow. With planned investments of $28 billion between 2025 and 2029, the program is creating a smarter, more secure grid that will meet and exceed reliability targets and accommodate electric vehicles, the electrification of homes and businesses, and clean energy sources.

Specific projects being completed in Clark County include rebuilding parts of existing power lines with larger diameter wire capable of carrying more electricity to keep power flowing safely and reliably during periods of high demand. The upgrades will include installation of equipment that will help ensure a constant, safe flow of high-voltage electricity into manufacturing facilities and nearby homes and businesses.

Customers in the area will also benefit from the installation of new automated reclosing devices to help limit the frequency, duration and extent of service interruptions. The devices:

• Work like a circuit breaker in a home that shuts off power when trouble occurs, with the added benefit of automatically reenergizing a substation or power line within seconds for certain types of outages to keep power safely flowing to customers.

• Allow crews to quickly pinpoint the location of the issue and help utility personnel better understand the cause of the outage to support timely power restoration.

Ohio Edison, along with The Illuminating Company, was recently named a 2024 Business Customer Champion in a national study conducted by Escalent, a leading data analytics and advisory firm with extensive expertise in the energy and utility industry. The designation underscores our electric companies’ dedication to fostering strong, engaged relationships with business customers throughout their Ohio service areas.