AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy
Corp.'s (NYSE: FE) utilities have restored service to more than
371,000 customers who lost power after windstorms swept through the
company's entire service area Sunday. Crews are working around the
clock to assess damage and restore service to approximately 72,000
customers who remain without power in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, Maryland and
New Jersey.
Beginning early Sunday in western Ohio and moving eastward throughout the day,
powerful winds between 45-55 mph and gusting up to more than 65 mph
brought down tree limbs and caused widespread damage to
FirstEnergy's utility poles and equipment.
"The heavy winds caused thousands of instances of downed wires,
broken poles and crossarms, and damaged transformers caused by
trees and other debris contacting our electrical equipment," said
Samuel L. Belcher, senior vice
president and president of FirstEnergy Utilities. "Though repair
work can be slowed by unsafe working conditions and numerous road
closures, we will continue to work around the clock to safely make
repairs and deploy resources as needed until power to all customers
has been restored."
All available company resources are working to restore power
across all 10 of the utility's operating companies: The
Illuminating Company, Ohio Edison and Toledo Edison in Ohio; Penn Power, Penelec, West Penn Power and
Met-Ed in Pennsylvania; Mon Power
in West Virginia; Potomac Edison
in West Virginia and Maryland; and JCP&L in New Jersey. Support personnel from
FirstEnergy's corporate offices also are included in the company's
contingent.
The companies have coordinated with contractors and electrical
industry mutual assistance organizations to secure more than 800
additional resources to assist in the hardest hit areas in
Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Current outage updates as of 5:00
p.m. today include:
- Toledo Edison: Approximately 15,400 customers lost power
due to the storm, and approximately 500 remain without service. The
remaining customers are expected to have power restored by
1:00 p.m. Tuesday.
- The Illuminating Company: Approximately 96,000 customers
lost power due to the storm, and 22,000 remain without service.
Based on current outages and damage assessments, approximately 74%
of affected customers are expected to have power restored by the
end of the day today. Service restoration for the majority of
remaining customers is expected by 11:00
p.m. Wednesday.
- Ohio Edison: Approximately 116,000 customers lost power
due to the storm, and 25,000 remain without service. Based on
current outages and damage assessments, many customers are expected
to have power restored by Wednesday evening; however, the majority
of customers in the hardest hit areas are expected to have power
restored by 4:00 p.m. Thursday.
- Penn Power: Approximately 9,000 customers lost power due
to the storm, and 1,000 remain without service. Based on current
outages and damage assessments, the majority of customers are
expected to have power restored by 11:30
p.m. Tuesday.
- Penelec: Approximately 70,000 customers lost power due
to the storm, and 14,500 remain without service. Based on current
outages and damage assessments, most customers are expected to have
power restored by tomorrow evening, with any remaining customers in
the hardest hit areas expected to have power restored by
11:30 p.m., Wednesday.
- West Penn Power: Approximately 50,000 customers lost
power due to the storm, and 4,300 remain without service. Based on
current outages and damage assessments, the majority of customers
are expected to have power restored by 6:00
p.m. Tuesday.
- Met-Ed: Approximately 36,000 customers lost power due to
the storm, and 2,000 remain without service. Based on current
outages and damage assessments, the majority of customers are
expected to have power restored by 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday.
- Mon Power: Approximately 15,500 customers lost power due
to the storm, and 700 remain without service. Based on current
outages and damage assessments, the majority of customers are
expected to have power restored by 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday.
- Potomac Edison: Approximately 11,600 customers lost
power due to the storm, and 300 remain without service. Based on
current outages and damage assessments, the majority of customers
are expected to have power restored by 11:00 tonight.
- JCP&L: Approximately 29,000 customers lost power due
to the storm, and 1,200 remain without service. Based on current
outages and damage assessments, approximately 99% of impacted
customers are expected to have power restored by 11:00 p.m. tonight, with service restoration for
the majority of remaining customers expected by 2:00 p.m. Tuesday.
Customer-specific restoration estimates will be updated when
available. For updates, please login to your utility account, call
1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877), or visit
www.firstenergycorp.com/outages. During severe weather, customers
who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS
(1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the "Report
Outage" link on www.firstenergycorp.com. Customers should
immediately call 911 if they see downed wires. Customers should
never go near a downed power line, even if they think it is no
longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be exercised in
areas where downed wires may be tangled in downed tree branches or
other debris.
To safeguard the health and safety of FirstEnergy employees,
contractors and the public, please respect social distancing
protocols as utility personnel work around the clock to restore all
power outages.
Emergency power generators offer an option for customers needing
or wanting uninterrupted service. However, to ensure the safety of
the home's occupants as well as that of utility company employees
who may be working on power lines in the area, the proper generator
should be selected and installed by a qualified electrician. When
operating a generator, the power coming into the home should always
be disconnected. Otherwise, power from the generator could be sent
back onto the utility lines, creating a hazardous situation for
utility workers.
For updated information on the company's current outages,
FirstEnergy's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe,
visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.
FirstEnergy customers also can subscribe to email and text
message alert notifications to receive weather alerts in advance of
major storms, and updates on scheduled or extended power outages.
More information about these communications tools is available
online at www.firstenergycorp.com/connect. You can also follow
FirstEnergy and its utilities on social media here:
https://firstenergycorp.com/newsroom/social_media.html
FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational
excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the
nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers
in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, West Virginia,
Maryland and New York. The company's transmission
subsidiaries operate approximately 24,500 miles of transmission
lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow
FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter
@FirstEnergyCorp.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.