Public information meeting for Youngstown power line project announced for June 12
A public information meeting will be held to answer questions about FirstEnergy's proposed 6-mile power line project for Youngstown.
The meeting will be held Wednesday, June 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Tyler Mahoning Valley History Center. The meeting will be an open house setting and provide members of the public with an opportunity to learn more about the project.
American Transmission Systems Inc., the FirstEnergy subsidiary, redesigned and proposed a relocation of the power line after vocal opposition from local residents and elected officials to the initial project led the state board to turn down the initial project. 21 News previously reported on the reaction of leaders and community members of the revised project back in April 2023. That story can be found here.
"The updated project reflects the community feedback we previously received and includes new routes that avoid potentially sensitive areas and minimize impacts to property owners and the community as much as possible," explained Will Boye, Senior Communications Representative of FirstEnergy.
According to Boye, FirstEnergy doesn't have a timeline for filing an application with the siting board, but the information gathered from the public meeting will help determine that timing
"The backup feed would provide power to those customers in the event of a service interruption on the transmission lines that currently serve the substations," he said. "The benefits of another electric source include improved performance, quicker and safer restoration options and more flexibility to conduct regular maintenance while minimizing service interruptions."