PECO, an electric and natural-gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corp., says it will fund its electric and gas operations with roughly $400 million this year for infrastructure improvements and new facilities to improve service reliability, field productivity and system performance, as well as investments to improve energy efficiency at several company facilities.
The capital program consists of mainly transmission and distribution system performance work, capacity upgrades, corrective maintenance programs, relocation of utility facilities for public roadways or other projects, and new facilities to accommodate new residential, business or institutional construction.
The utility says many of its larger projects are planned and will be constructed over multiple years. About $142 million is allocated for the projects to modernize or replace older facilities and expand electric and gas capacity in certain communities due to increased energy consumption and local growth.
The largest project that will be under way this year is a new electric transmission substation in Worcester Township, Pa., to improve regional grid reliability during peak summer demand periods. The $45 million project recently received state Public Utility Commission approval after an extensive two-year process for project planning, community outreach and siting.
Also in the suburbs, PECO will expand its distribution automation efforts, complete upgrades on circuits to improve electric reliability in targeted areas, and expand local substations. PECO also is building or modernizing three substations in Philadelphia.
SOURCE: PECO
