FirstEnergy's $28 Billion Initiative Enhances Northwest Ohio's Electric Grid

A major transmission upgrade is underway in Fulton County, Ohio, to deliver more reliable and resilient electric service to thousands of residents and businesses in the greater Toledo area. The project, led by American Transmission Systems, Inc. (ATSI), a FirstEnergy transmission company, includes construction of a new substation and a nine-mile 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission line.

The infrastructure improvements will enhance service reliability for customers in Delta Village and the surrounding Fulton, Pike, Swan Creek and York townships, while supporting continued economic and industrial growth across northwest Ohio.

A new substation, scheduled to be operational by December 2026, will connect to the existing Sydney Substation through two new half-mile power lines. The added infrastructure will increase system capacity and flexibility, allowing for quicker restoration when outages occur.

According to FirstEnergy, strategic transmission investments like this one have already contributed to a 50% reduction in outages on its high-voltage power lines exceeding 100 kV since 2014.

Mark Mroczynski, president of transmission for FirstEnergy, said the project reflects the company’s commitment to keeping pace with regional development. “Northwest Ohio has seen tremendous industrial growth in recent years, bringing new jobs, families and opportunities to the region. We're proud to support that momentum by investing in the power infrastructure needed to meet today's demand and tomorrow's potential,” he said.

The Fulton County project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy’s $28 billion initiative to modernize the electric grid between 2025 and 2029. In northwest Ohio alone, ATSI plans to invest more than $200 million in high-voltage grid enhancements over the next several years to build a smarter, more secure system that can support future growth.