PPL Electric Utilities is strengthening a portion of its electric delivery system in Rush Township, Schuylkill County, replacing nearly three miles of underground power lines and transformers in the Tall Oaks section of Lake Hauto.

“This project will help to improve reliability in the area and allow for quicker repairs if any problems do occur,” said Dave Bonenberger, regional director of operations for PPL Electric Utilities.

The $600,000 project began in late November and is expected to be complete by May 2008. The work involves replacing older cable with new jacketed cable shielded in conduit, which is more durable and easier to work with if future repairs are required.

In addition, the company will replace underground transformers with aboveground units housed in small, protected cabinets on the ground. These aboveground units also allow for easier maintenance and quicker repairs, Bonenberger said. And they’re better protected from groundwater that can damage buried equipment, he said.

“The underground lines we use today have come a long way over the last 30 years,” Bonenberger said. “That’s good for the crews who maintain our lines, and it’s good for the customers, who benefit through better service.”

Bonenberger said this project is just one of the many improvements the company is making in the Schuylkill and Hazleton areas and across the company’s 29-county service territory. The company expects to invest more than $1.2 billion to maintain, improve and expand its electric distribution system in the next five years so that it can continue to provide reliable service to its customers.

In the past year, the company has stepped up tree-trimming efforts and equipment inspections to reduce outages. It is in the process of adding more switches and protective equipment in many locations across its delivery system to reduce the number of customers affected and the duration of outages.

PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation that provides electricity delivery services to about 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania, has consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. More information is available at www.pplelectric.com.