FirstEnergy Corp. has completed its winter preparations to ensure reliable power supply for its Ohio customers during the colder months. The company, which includes Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company, and Toledo Edison, has undertaken various inspections and maintenance activities to enhance system reliability as temperatures drop.
Torrence Hinton, FirstEnergy's Ohio President, stated: "Completing inspections and equipment maintenance now can help enhance system reliability to keep power flowing to customers when severe winter weather strikes. This work complements the smart grid investments made across our Ohio service area and deployment of our Advanced Vegetation Analytics Tool, which will help keep heavy snow and ice from causing tree-related power outages."
In preparation for winter, FirstEnergy personnel have inspected substation equipment and conducted helicopter inspections on high-voltage transmission lines to detect early-stage equipment issues. Ground inspections using thermovision cameras have also been performed to identify potential problems such as loose connections and corrosion.
Tree trimming around electrical equipment has been carried out throughout the year to minimize tree-related outages caused by snow, high winds, and ice. Additionally, company vehicles are frequently inspected with a focus on tires and air braking systems.
FirstEnergy employees participated in readiness exercises and drills throughout the year to test restoration processes for addressing winter storm-related power outages. Customers can access tips for preparing for severe weather and view restoration updates via FirstEnergy's 24/7 Power Center at firstenergycorp.com/outages.
The company offers cold weather tips for customers to manage electricity bills during the winter season. These include sealing leaks around windows and doors, closing fireplace dampers when not in use, managing drapes according to sunlight exposure, checking furnace fan filters, ensuring proper insulation, and exploring payment arrangements or assistance programs if needed.
Ohio Edison serves over 1 million customers across 34 counties in Ohio. The Illuminating Company serves more than 750,000 customers in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Lorain counties. Toledo Edison caters to nearly 315,000 customers in northwest Ohio.
FirstEnergy is committed to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies serve over six million customers across several states including Ohio. More information about FirstEnergy can be found at www.firstenergycorp.com.
For media inquiries contact Hannah Catlett at (440) 554-5346 or investor inquiries contact Gina Caskey at (330) 607-0157.