1. FirstEnergy uses LiDAR technology to manage vegetation near power lines. 2. LiDAR inspections improve efficiency and reduce risks in vegetation management. 3. The program supports Energize365, investing $28 billion for grid improvements. 4. LiDAR tech reduces manual patrols by up to 50% since its pilot in 2016. 5. Inspections enhance reliability and reduce tree-related power outages.
The deployment of advanced technology like LiDAR not only enhances operational efficiency but also aligns with long-term investment strategies for infrastructure improvement, similar to how past technologies advanced utility operations leading to increased customer satisfaction and reduced outages.
The article discusses operational improvements through new technology, which directly relates to FE's efficiency and customer service based performance—yet these insights may not have immediate market-moving implications but suggest positive future trajectory.
The integration of LiDAR into FirstEnergy's operations signifies a shift toward sustainable reliability, with potential long-term benefits, akin to other utility companies enhancing their infrastructure, which positively affects stock performance as customer satisfaction and reliability rise.
AKRON, Ohio, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology has been deployed across FirstEnergy Corp.'s (NYSE: FE) service area to more effectively manage hard-to-reach trees and vegetation along 7,100 miles of high-voltage power lines. The work began this month and will continue through the fall.
LiDAR inspections are conducted using helicopters equipped with laser-based sensors that scan the landscape from above. As the aircraft flies along the power line corridors, the system emits rapid laser pulses toward the ground and surrounding objects. These pulses bounce back to the sensor, providing detailed distance measurements that are used to create a highly accurate, 3D map of the terrain, power lines and nearby vegetation.
This process allows FirstEnergy and its subsidiaries to proactively identify trees and other vegetation that may be encroaching on power lines – data that's often difficult or dangerous to collect using traditional foot patrols. The LiDAR patrols create a more efficient way to review company rights-of-way. Once collected, the LiDAR data is analyzed to highlight areas that require maintenance, ensuring trees are trimmed before they can pose a threat to service reliability, particularly during severe weather.
Ted Allan, Director of Vegetation Management at FirstEnergy: "Maintaining vegetation clearances is critical to providing safe, reliable electricity to the more than six million customers we serve from northwest Ohio to the Jersey Shore. LiDAR helps us improve accuracy, reduce field risks and prioritize work more efficiently."
FirstEnergy first piloted LiDAR in 2016 and has since used it to inspect more than 100,000 miles of transmission lines. The technology has reduced the need for manual patrols and surveillance flights by up to 50% while also enhancing companywide collaboration across departments like engineering and maintenance.
As these inspections are completed, the associated vegetation work will be completed on transmission line corridors in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. Helicopters equipped with aerial saws will also be used to trim trees and maintain proper clearances along difficult-to-access corridors. The work will help keep power flowing to customers by reducing the frequency and duration of tree-related power outages caused by issues, such as those found during the LiDAR inspections.
This work supports Energize365, a multi-year grid evolution program focused on transmission and distribution investments that will deliver the power FirstEnergy's customers depend on today while also meeting the challenges of tomorrow. With planned investments of $28 billion between 2025 and 2029, the program is creating a smarter, more secure grid that will meet and exceed reliability targets and accommodate electric vehicles, the electrification of homes and businesses, and clean energy sources.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.