FirstEnergy’s ATSI Nears Completion of $24 Million Power Grid Improvement Project in Trumbull County, Ohio
American Transmission Systems (ATSI), a FirstEnergy Transmission company, is completing major upgrades to the local power grid in Trumbull County, Ohio, as part of an approximately $24 million project.
The upgrades under progress in Ohio Edison's service area are designed to support the electric system and deliver reliable service to more than 16,000 residents and businesses in and around Howland and Bazetta townships. The project’s crucial part is rebuilding nearly three miles of the Niles Central-Packard 138-kV Transmission Line. The upgrades will help reduce the number of outages customers experience and speed restoration when outages occur.
The rebuild will replace aging wooden poles with 22 steel structures set in concrete foundations. Crews are installing modern, thicker wire capable of carrying more electricity and withstanding severe weather, falling trees, vehicle accidents and wildlife interference.
The improvements will enable rerouting power during emergencies or maintenance, support growing energy use and provide a strong support for future development in the Mahoning Valley. While construction started in the fall 2026, it is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2026.
The improvements will help the electric grid:
- Handle higher demand during extreme cold and heat.
- Reduce overloads that can lead to outages.
- Restore service faster when problems do arise.
- Support residential and business growth in Trumbull County.
“By strengthening this part of the local grid, we’re reducing risks that cause outages and ensuring the system can handle growing demand,” said Mark Mroczynski, President of Transmission for FirstEnergy. “Since 2014, our transmission companies have made ongoing investments that have reduced high‑voltage line outages by 50%, and we’re continuing that work through projects like this to further strengthen reliability.”
The project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's long-term investment program to modernize and strengthen the electric grid. FirstEnergy plans to invest $36 billion between 2026 and 2030 to build a smarter, more resilient grid meeting the evolving needs of communities across the service area.