Building a Stronger Electric Grid for the Future

Building a Stronger Electric Grid for the Future

Aug 11, 2026 | Reliability

When the lights come on with the flip of a switch, most people don’t think about the miles of equipment working behind the scenes to deliver electricity safely and reliably – 47,000 miles to be exact. We’re making significant investments across our service territory to strengthen that system and help reduce outages, especially during severe weather.

Why we’re making these improvements

Pennsylvania experiences its share of challenging weather. Strong winds, lightning, ice, heavy rain and falling trees can damage electric equipment and cause power outages. That’s why we’re strengthening our electric grid to make it more resilient and easier to restore when storms occur.

Our goal is simple: provide more reliable electric service for the customers and communities we serve by reducing outages, limit the number of customers affected and restore power faster when an outage does occur.

What we’re doing

Across central and eastern Pennsylvania, we’re making targeted improvements to the electric system that delivers power to homes and businesses. Depending on the needs of each community, this work may include:

  • Installing smarter technology: We’re expanding smart grid technology to quickly detect problems, isolate outages and reroute electricity when possible. In some cases, power can be restored in under 5 minutes.
  • Upgrading poles, wires and equipment: Older equipment is being replaced with stronger, more modern materials designed to better withstand high winds, ice and other severe weather conditions.
  • Creating more flexibility in the grid: We’re adding connections between power lines so electricity can be rerouted during outages. This can reduce the number of customers affected when problems occur.
  • Placing some lines underground: In locations where it makes sense, we’re moving certain overhead power lines underground. This can help reduce storm-related damage and improve reliability in those areas.
  • Improving access to electric equipment: We’re relocating some equipment to safer, easier-to-reach areas. This can help crews restore power more safely and efficiently when outages occur.

What you may see

As this work moves forward, customers may notice utility crews and specialized equipment working along roads or within utility rights-of-way. Temporary traffic controls, signs or work zones may also be present. In some areas, customers may see upgrades to poles, wires or underground equipment.

We’ll continue working to minimize impacts on local communities and the environment while completing this important work as safely and efficiently as possible.

How these investments benefit you

These projects are designed to deliver long-term value by:

  • Improving everyday reliability
  • Helping prevent outages during severe weather
  • Reducing the number of customers affected when outages occur
  • Restoring power more quickly after storms
  • Supporting future growth and development across our region

Reliable electricity powers nearly every aspect of our daily lives. That’s why we’re continuing to invest in a stronger, smarter and more resilient electric grid.

These improvements are part of our ongoing commitment to deliver safe, reliable service today while preparing for the needs of tomorrow. Learn more about our reliability work.

Engineering an electric and educational future

Engineering an electric and educational future

Feb 22, 2024 | Energy Future, Reliability

This week is Engineers Week, a time dedicated to celebrating all that engineers do to make a difference, while promoting the need for more engineers in society. We’re proud of our hardworking, innovative engineers who help push us toward our goal of becoming the utility of the future. 

Francis Frank is one of our engineers making a difference both here at PPL Electric and beyond. As the director of grid modernization, he’s tasked with keeping our grid reliable for years to come. 

“I look at the grid today, and I prepare it for the future,” Frank said. “I’m figuring out how solar, electric vehicles, wind and other renewable energy sources will affect the grid.” 

As Francis looks toward the future, he’s motivated by his past. He is a proud native of the Caribbean island country of Grenada. From a young age, he took an interest in how energy worked at home.

“I saw how the lack of proper administration of power services, like power distribution, affected the island,” he said. “I was always interested in figuring out why a country with so much sunshine was powered by diesel.” 

Francis received an associate degree in Grenada before moving to the United States. His plan was to get a second degree and head home. Over 20 years later, he is still making a difference in the U.S. He joined PPL Electric in September of 2022, and has been working with his 67 team members to advance a safe, reliable and affordable electric future. Francis says that progression would not be possible without his team. 

“My team is the valuable resource that enables my success,” he said. “Our engineers and technicians provide the technical solutions to enable the grid modernization projects and processes. The foundation of this team is allowing us to become the utility of the future.” 

Although he stayed in America, his roots are still deeply embedded in the communities that make up Grenada. He is the president of his family’s foundation, dedicated to helping provide schoolbooks, fees, uniforms and more to local students.  

“I’m blessed,” he said. “I consider myself, first and foremost, an ambassador to Grenada. The foundation is a way to represent my country and help it come together as one nation with one future.” 

As an engineer, Francis says he would love to see some of these students be inspired by the island around them and take a similar path, but he says there’s also a need for engineers here in the U.S. 

“Engineers are so valuable,” he said. “We need to encourage STEM programs in our education systems, so we can have engineers ready to come up with important solutions in our future. Our value should always be celebrated and encouraged.” 

Francis solves problems today that positively impact the years ahead. He’s engineering a clean, affordable energy future, while engineering an educational foundation for children in his native country. 

“It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding because I know where I come from and I’m blessed to have this opportunity,” he said. “Somebody ought to do it, and I’m blessed that I’ve been chosen to take it on.” 

We are grateful for Francis and the many engineers that help us provide safe, reliable power to over 1.5 million customers.