FirstEnergy’s Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission Leads the Van Reed 69-kV Transmission Project in Berks County

A FirstEnergy Transmission company, Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission (MAIT) is leading the Van Reed 69-kV Transmission Project, to construct a new substation in Bern Township and add a four mile, high-voltage power line on a combination of wood and steel poles for additional strength to the system.

The work is designed to reduce outages around Reading, Bern Township and Leesport and support growth in southeastern Pennsylvania. The upgrade is also expected to bring more electricity to the region and support faster power restoration for more than 6,000 FirstEnergy Pennsylvania (FE PA) customers in Berks County.

“With valuable input from community members and public officials, we’re delivering a project that reflects their feedback and supports what matters most to the region,” said Mark Mroczynski, President of Transmission for FirstEnergy. “This solution enhances service reliability for everyday customers while helping to attract new jobs, new families and new opportunities.”

The project is moving forward with strong support from the Berks County Commissioners and local development agencies. FE PA and MAIT are ensuring that the region has the dependable electric service it needs to help current and future employers grow and create opportunities.

The project is expected to be in service before the end of 2026.

The upgrade will add backup power sources and smarter equipment to reroute electricity during an outage. This means:

• Fewer outages. 
• Faster restoration.
• More reliable service for homes, businesses and companies looking to start or expand here.

With more capacity and stronger infrastructure, the system will be able to handle increased traffic and revert faster during issues.

The approximately $30 million 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 that meets the evolving of communities across the service area. In Pennsylvania alone, the company plans to invest approximately $13 billion through

2030, consisting of nearly $6.7 billion in transmission investments and $6.7 billion in distribution investments.