Seeing low-flying helicopters in central PA? They could prevent power outages
Low-flying helicopters can be a cause for concern or even fright for unsuspecting homeowners. But over the next few months, these aircraft will serve an important purpose across central Pennsylvania.
FirstEnergy, the Ohio-based parent company of utility providers in Pennsylvania and several neighboring states, will conduct proactive aerial inspections of roughly 5,000 miles of high-voltage power lines within its service area. These inspections are already underway in parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia and will continue over the next few months.
FirstEnergy’s aerial inspections, conducted every four years, use infrared and ultraviolet technology aboard helicopters to detect early-stage equipment issues in transmission substations and high-voltage power lines that go unnoticed during traditional visual inspections. They work in tandem with regular aerial inspections that look for visible concerns like overgrown trees, damaged equipment or birds nesting on electrical equipment.
Low-flying helicopters will patrol at speeds between 25 and 35 mph to scout electrical equipment using an infrared and ultraviolet camera beneath the aircraft. Onboard devices then track and identify sources of overheated components, voltage issues and other problems with equipment down below.
Thermal imagery captured during these inspections can help identify urgent equipment issues, including loose connections, corrosion and load imbalances, FirstEnergy says. Ultraviolet technology, meanwhile, can detect electrical discharges across power lines that may be caused by rusted hardware or cracked insulators.
“The combination of both technologies is beneficial because it provides a wide range of detection,” FirstEnergy wrote in a statement. “Any issues identified during the inspections are addressed to prevent service disruptions and costly repairs down the road.”
So far, FirstEnergy has surveyed roughly 50% of the 2,220 miles of Pennsylvania power lines slated for aerial inspection. The company is also working to inspect roughly 1,046 miles of power lines in Ohio, about 630 miles of lines in New Jersey and approximately 648 miles of lines in Maryland and West Virginia.
Mark Mroczynski, the president of FirstEnergy Transmission, said the company’s proactive aerial inspections complement traditional, on-the-ground inspections of power lines and electrical equipment.
“Helicopters provide a view of electrical equipment that we can’t get from the ground, allowing inspections of miles of power lines in a single day,” Mroczynski wrote in a statement. “However, on-the-ground inspections are still necessary and underway to ensure our neighborhood power lines and equipment are ready to meet the high demand for electricity when customers crank up their air conditioning units to stay cool and comfortable this summer.”
FirstEnergy’s aerial inspections serve as part of its multi-year grid evolution program that will invest roughly $28 billion in transmission and distribution efforts between 2025 and 2029, the company said.
Inspections in central Pennsylvania come after more than 35,000 customers in Centre County lost power following a rare, powerful storm that blew through much of Ohio and the Keystone State. High winds toppled poles and wires throughout the area and closed several roads and schools.
A 22-year-old State College man died of electrocution during the storm when he encountered an active electrical current from a utility pole while attempting to put out a mulch fire. As of May 12, a GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly $13,000 to help the man’s family with funeral costs.
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