PECO to Install Underground Cables in Upper Providence

PECO recently announced a $650,000 multi-county project to lay underground cables to better deliver electricity to customers, including residents in Upper Providence Township.

Some of the 50,000 feet of cable will be installed in Upper Providence, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.

Below is the PECO press release regarding the project.

PECO will invest about $650,000 in the first quarter of 2013 to replace and perform preventative maintenance on about 50,000 feet of underground cable that delivers electricity to thousands of customers in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia and York Counties. This work is expected to reduce the potential for cable malfunctions and service interruptions to more than 5,000 customers.

All projects are scheduled to be completed by the end of March. As part of this work, PECO is using special equipment to limit the amount of digging necessary to replace the cable, which will minimize the impact on customers' lawns and driveways.

In addition to replacing cable, about 28,000 feet of underground cable will be injected with silicone gel designed to fill and seal any cracks that may have developed in the cable's insulation. This process helps reduce the number of outages caused by water intrusion into the cable.

"By continuously monitoring our electric system's performance, including the performance of our underground cable, we are able to identify key opportunities to improve service for our customers," said Eric Helt, vice president of Electric Operations. "Preventative maintenance, upgrading and replacement of our equipment are crucial to providing customers with safe and reliable service every day."

Underground cable replacement and preventative maintenance are part of PECO's overall program to ensure safe and reliable electric service for PECO's 1.6 million electric customers. Each year, the company conducts regular maintenance and inspection of equipment, including substations, manholes, and aerial lines and poles, to identify opportunities to improve performance.