Power has been restored to over 275,000 out of 380,000 FirstEnergy Corp. customers affected by a major storm on April 29, which caused substantial damage due to heavy rain and high winds across Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Over 4,750 internal and external personnel are working around the clock to assist the hardest hit areas still without power, according to company officials.
John Hawkins, President of FirstEnergy Pennsylvania, stated: "The recent storm in the greater Pittsburgh area is our second worst on record since 2009 in western Pennsylvania, ranking among the top storms in the company’s history in terms of impact. The widespread area of straight-line winds – such as the 110-120 mph wind speeds reported in Cambria County by the National Weather Service – caused hundreds of instances of broken poles, downed wires and equipment damage across our western and central Pennsylvania footprint. As we continue our efforts to restore power to every last customer, we urge everyone to prioritize safety. We deeply appreciate your continued patience and support of our field personnel."
FirstEnergy is also bracing for further service disruptions due to a new weather system potentially bringing strong winds and thunderstorms to Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland. Wind gusts between 40 and 50 mph could slow restoration work, as safety regulations prohibit operating bucket trucks in winds exceeding 40 mph.
As of this morning, current outage updates are as follows:
- West Penn Power: 78,500 out of 197,000 customers remain without power.
- Penelec: 13,600 out of 107,400 customers remain without power.
- Penn Power: 2,300 out of 13,600 customers remain without power.
- Mon Power: 5,300 out of 36,300 customers remain without power, with power expected to be restored by 11 p.m. tonight.
The company has issued “global estimated time of restoration” (ETR) alerts by county, forecasting when power will likely be restored for the majority of affected customers. Many will receive power sooner, depending on localized damage.
FirstEnergy advises customers to use their account at firstenergycorp.com or register for text alerts for personal ETR updates. Free water and ice are available at participating stores for those without power, and further safety instructions regarding generators have been issued to ensure customer and worker safety.
FirstEnergy emphasizes that as repairs advance, more specific ETRs will be shared. Customers are encouraged to report outages online or via phone.
Further updates on outages and the restoration process can be found on FirstEnergy’s Power Center website.
###