FirstEnergy has started construction on a new US$20 million transmission facility to support the growing demand for EV (Electric Vehicle) in Trumbull County, Ohio. The transmission substation will provide electric service to Ultium Cells, an EV battery-cell manufacturing plant jointly backed by General Motors and South Korea’s LG Chem. The company’s 3 million-square-foot facility is expected to bring approximately 1,000 jobs to the area. In addition to supporting Ultium Cells, the new substation and line will also strengthen the regional transmission system. The foundation work is already in the works with steel structures having to be erected at the new substation in Lordstown. Furthermore, crews are completing the construction of a half-mile power line to connect the new substation to an existing 138-kV line located nearby.
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The construction of a third high-voltage line in Lordstown is planned in April to accommodate Ultium Cells’ projected future energy needs and provide further reliability enhancements for customers. Construction work on the project is expected to be complete in April, which is about when work on phase two should begin. Phase two of the transmission line is a US$12 million phase two is a new 3.5-mile, high-voltage transmission line to meet “Ultium’s energy load growth once they ramp up production” and infrastructure to support the line, according to the company.
FirstEnergy is working continuously toward the region’s development. It is making efforts to ensure that the local power grid can support the demands of other energy-intensive customers in the county. These investments are part of the five-year plan, termed FirstEnergy’s LTIIP II, which is running from 2020 through 2024. Per the plan, the utility will invest US$572 million in enhancing its service reliability and minimizing the impact of power cuts on its customers.
