Press Release

PUC Approves Settlement with PPL Electric Following 2022 Transformer Fire in Carbondale, Lackawanna County

Published on 8/14/2025

Filed under: Electric

Company Updating Overhead Transformer Installation Procedures, Increasing Past Project Inspections and Paying Civil Penalty

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a settlement with PPL Electric Utilities Corporation (PPL) in connection with a 2022 transformer fire in the City of Carbondale, Lackawanna County, which resulted in a power outage affecting more than 2,500 PPL customers.

The Commission voted 5-0 to approve the joint settlement between PPL and the PUC’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E).  In December 2022, I&E had received a referral from the PUC’s Electric Safety Division (Electric Safety) regarding a fire incident involving a transformer at 22 Shannon St. in Carbondale.

According to the investigation, a “hot leg” wire on the secondary side of a transformer burned open and fell onto a lower communications line, sparking a fire and leading to a multi-hour power outage for approximately 2,538 customers.  Following its investigation, I&E concluded that sufficient evidence existed to support allegations that PPL Electric violated PUC Electric Safety regulations and two provisions of the National Electric Safety Code (NESC).

Under the terms of the settlement:

• PPL will pay a $4,500 civil penalty.
  
  
• At the direction of Electric Safety, PPL will inspect work completed over the past five years in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties involving conductor connections between transformer primary leads and secondary (crimped) connections. PPL will provide Electric Safety with a listing of the completed work and Electric Safety will review the listing and direct further inspections.
  
  
• The company will document and analyze any defects discovered during inspections, develop appropriate corrective measures, and modify procedures where necessary.
  
  
• PPL will share its findings with Electric Safety at the conclusion of its inspection efforts.
  
  
• Additionally, the company will review and update its overhead transformer installation procedures – including new provisions for conductor cleaning and crimping, polarity checks, and verification before re-connecting secondary lines.

About the PUC

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Docket No.: M-2025-3041757

Contact:

• David Hixson
  Deputy Press Secretary
  717-772-2766
  dhixson@pa.gov