RG&E Completes System Upgrades to Improve Reliability for Town of Friendship Customers
Work completed at substation helps reduce outages, save long-term maintenance costs
$450,000 investment contributes to powering communities
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — January 20, 2026 — Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) completed system upgrades at Station 174 in the Fillmore division to improve reliability for the 835 customers it serves in the Town of Friendship.
To prevent overloading, three new transformers were installed. New supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems were installed. This automated technology allows crews to remotely monitor and control equipment on power lines, quickly detecting and clearing an issue and restoring power. A new tie-point switch was also installed. This allows crews to efficiently restore power to customers in an emergency.
“Customers will see the benefits of these investments,” said RG&E Director of Projects Kyle Duck. “The work done here allows more operational flexibility and reduces system risk in high-load conditions, which means reduced outages for customers. These improvements will also save on long-term maintenance costs.”
Additionally, crews installed two new, heavy-duty wooden utility poles with fiberglass crossarms. This delivers greater resilience than legacy infrastructure. Utility wires and other critical distribution system infrastructure were also replaced. Construction began in October and was completed at the end of 2025.
$450,000 was invested in the project and is an example of work accomplished through our prior rate case. NYSEG and R&GE have proposed to invest $16.1 billion to update grid infrastructure in New York through 2031. These investments will enhance energy quality and reliability for customers in the Companies’ service area, which spans more than 40 percent of Upstate New York. The Companies will continue investing, delivering safe and reliable service, powering communities when it matters most.
Media Contact:
Alexis Arnold
585.953.3159