Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) has completed a $3.3 million circuit upgrade in Webster, aiming to reduce frequent power outages and improve service reliability for residents and businesses.
The project, finished in December, converted 2.2 miles of power lines to a three-phase overhead 12.47kV system. The upgrade included stronger, more resilient conductors designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and enhanced technology to speed up power restoration during outages.
“This is an area where customers experienced significant and frequent outages,” said Rod Coffey, project manager for RG&E. “These upgrades will help reduce disruptions to service and improve reliability.”
The improvements impact customers along Hard Road, Holt, Shoemaker, Lake, Webster, Philips, Klem Roads, and County Line Road. In addition to new wiring, the upgraded lines now incorporate Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology, which allows remote isolation of damaged sections to minimize outage duration.
This initiative is part of RG&E’s broader Resiliency Program, which invests up to $12 million annually to strengthen the electrical grid. Since its launch in 2018, the program has completed 26 circuit projects, with three more planned for 2025.
RG&E, a subsidiary of Avangrid, serves approximately 378,500 electricity customers in the Rochester area.
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