$42 million project plans to update powerline from Beloit to Newton Falls

A proposed powerline project to upgrade more than 25 miles of lines from Trumbull to Portage counties is in the early planning phase, with an estimated cost of $42.9 million, according to a news release from FirstEnergy.

Phase One would rebuild an 8.3-mile-long section of power line from Beloit through Smith, Goshen and Berlin Townships.

In total, the project would include transmission line work in Trumbull, Mahoning and Portage counties, stretching from Beloit to Newton Falls.

According to the release, the project would only involve rebuilding an existing line, with no new lines constructed. This means crews would install new poles, update worn components and upgrade lines to higher‑capacity wire.

The cost of work to be done would be covered by customers over the course of decades, with increases of cents rather than dollars on electric bills each month, according to the release.

FirstEnergy states that the project upgrades would help local electric grids handle higher demand during extreme weather, restore service faster when issues occur, and reduce overloads that could lead to outages.

The proposed project area does not include plans for tree clearing and is located within a floodplain and on agricultural, residential and recreational land.

With the project currently in the early planning phase, a construction start date has not yet been determined.

Environmental studies in areas included in the project plans are underway, the release states.

The line being upgraded was built in 1970 and carries power to homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses in the area.

Between 2026 and 2030, FirstEnergy plans to invest $36 billion throughout its Energize365 program, a multi-year grid upgrade initiative.

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