FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has restored power to over 215,000 customers of Ohio Edison and The Illuminating Company following a historic weather event on Tuesday. The storm included two tornadoes with winds up to 110 mph in Cuyahoga County, one of which traveled a path 17 miles long and 350 yards wide through the area from Brookpark to Bedford.
This storm was the most impactful in The Illuminating Company’s service territory since July 1993, when thunderstorms caused outages for approximately 300,000 customers.
More than 3,050 line workers from FirstEnergy, contractor companies, and mutual assistance organizations are working around the clock in 16-hour shifts. They are assisted by over 1,000 damage assessors, hazard responders, forestry personnel, and other support staff. Additional crews are expected to arrive throughout today.
FirstEnergy has set up staging sites across the greater Cleveland area to manage the influx of outside workers and streamline the restoration process. These sites provide materials and supplies as workers restore power.
Hundreds of damage locations have been recorded across northeast Ohio. More broken poles and equipment issues are being reported in real-time as field workers continue their assessments.
As of 10 a.m., updates include:
– The Illuminating Company: Approximately 322,600 customers lost power; 248,300 remain without power. Restoration is expected by Wednesday night.
– Ohio Edison: Approximately 106,900 customers lost power; 9,100 remain without power. Many should have service restored today or tomorrow; those in Trumbull County may be without service until Saturday.
The initial “global estimated time of restoration” (ETR) provides an estimate for when service will be restored to most customers after major outages. As more information becomes available about necessary repairs, detailed ETRs are provided. Customers can view their current individual ETR by logging into their account at firstenergycorp.com or viewing the outage map at firstenergycorp.com/outages.
FirstEnergy’s restoration process prioritizes repairs that address the largest number of customers before moving on to isolated issues. This includes transmission and substation facilities followed by critical facilities like hospitals and emergency response agencies.
For updated information on outages and safety tips during storms, visit FirstEnergy’s Power Center at firstenergycorp.com/outages.
To ensure safety when using generators during outages:
– Select and install generators with a qualified electrician.
– Disconnect incoming power before operating a generator.
– Locate generators outside away from windows, doors, and vents.
FirstEnergy serves customers in multiple states including Ohio and Pennsylvania through its electric distribution companies. Its transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines connecting the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.
For more information about FirstEnergy’s operations or outage updates follow @FirstEnergyCorp on X (formerly Twitter).
News Media Contact: Hannah Catlett – Ohio Edison, Toledo Edison, The Illuminating Company – (440) 554-5346
