A $56 million project is underway to improve the electric distribution system in Northwest Philadelphia.

PECO plans to upgrade and install new equipment for customers associated with the Germantown Substation, the company said in a release. The company is working to strengthen infrastructure and improve the system’s ability to withstand more frequent and intense storms with a goal of reducing the number of outages every year.

The project will cover Tioga, Nicetown, Germantown, East Germantown, Logan, West Mt. Airy, East Mount Airy, East Falls, Chestnut Hill, and Roxborough, PECO spokesperson Madison Davis told the Local.

Asplundh Tree Expert company has begun tree work for the project, which involves trimming and removing vegetation that could potentially cause an outage, Davis said. Davey Resource Group, a division of The Davey Tree Expert Company and contractor for PECO, has surveyed and contacted customers about reviewing any necessary tree work for their property.

PECO expects the next phase — electrical construction — will start in February of 2026. The project may lead to road closures and/or detours. The company will notify affected customers about construction before work starts in their neighborhoods.

The company will replace wires, cables, poles, devices, and transformers for households linked to the Germantown Substation. The project will also require PECO to install taller utility poles to meet federal standards and to add reclosers, which are devices meant to restore power during temporary outages, caused by incidents such as a fallen tree or lightning strike.

When asked if any heritage trees will be removed for the project, Davis said the species are “evaluated on a case-by-case basis.” PECO works with the tree owner and the City of Philadelphia’s Parks & Recreation department “to determine options and next steps,” she said in an email.

The project is projected to be completed in December of 2027, according to PECO’s website.

The Northwest Philadelphia project is part of the company’s long-term plan to upgrade and strengthen electrical infrastructure in the Philadelphia region. In the next five years, the company is set to invest $9.3 billion into its energy systems amid increased demand and extreme weather, according to an October news release by PECO.

PECO is also retiring the Germantown Substation, Davis said, to make way for modernized infrastructure. Residents in the substation’s coverage area will then be served by surrounding substations, including Pulaski, Westmoreland, and Cedarbrook. These distribution systems operate at a higher voltage.

By increasing the efficiency and capacity of electricity transmission, PECO will be able to support more clean energy sources that rely on electricity, Davis said.

“The higher voltage increases the ability of PECO’s equipment to handle the addition of customer-owned solar facilities to the system and prepare the system to handle the expected increase in future customer demand, which includes electric vehicle charging,” she said.

Abby Weiss is an environmental reporter for the Local and a Report for America corps member. She can be reached at Abby@chestnuthilllocal.com.