High winds, heavy rain, ice and snow
combine to knock out electric service to more than 310,000
FirstEnergy customers
AKRON,
Ohio, Jan. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Service has
been restored to more than 247,000 of the approximately 310,000
FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) customers who lost power due to strong
winds, heavy rain, ice and snow that began impacting the entire
eastern half of the country on Tuesday.
The powerful winter storm system brought strong winds exceeding
60 mph in parts of Ohio and
western Pennsylvania, along with
rainfall exceeding two inches in parts of eastern Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. Areas of West
Virginia, Maryland and
Pennsylvania also saw accumulating
ice and snow early yesterday. Gusty conditions accompanied by snow
squalls are expected to continue through this evening, with
flooding expected in parts of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey that experienced the highest rain totals.
The tree- and flood-related damage is widespread, consisting of
hundreds of broken poles and crossarms, downed power lines, and
fallen trees and debris blocking road access. Our primary focus at
this stage is to remove any hazards and assess the damage so that
our crews can access the site of an outage and begin to safely make
the repairs. Due to the extent of damage and continued inclement
weather, restoration work is expected to continue over the next few
days, particularly in Pennsylvania
and New Jersey.
All internal line crews, hazard responders, forestry crews,
contractors, safety and other support personnel are involved in
storm response, and significant additional outside resources have
deployed to assist with the restoration effort. Though downed
trees, localized flooding and road closures can slow progress,
crews will continue to work around the clock to safely make repairs
and ensure service to all customers has been restored.
Current outage updates as of 10
a.m. today include:
- The Illuminating Company: Approximately 32,200 customers
in northeast Ohio lost power due
to the storms, and 2,500 customers remain without service. The
majority of customers are expected to have power restored by
4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11.
- Ohio Edison: Approximately 19,900 customers in northern,
eastern and central Ohio lost
power due to the storm, and 800 remain without service. Power is
expected to be restored to Ohio Edison customers impacted by
yesterday's weather this morning.
- Penn Power: Approximately 3,600 customers in western
Pennsylvania lost power due to the
storm, and 430 remain without service. The hardest hit area was
Mercer County. The majority of
customers are expected to have power restored by 11 p.m. today.
- Penelec: Approximately 77,400 customers in northern and
central Pennsylvania lost power
due to the storm, and 16,300 remain without service. Work will
continue to restore power to many customers throughout the day
today, with restoration expected for customers in the Oil City and Meadville areas by 11
p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12. Restoration in the hardest hit area
of Erie County is expected by
11 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13.
- West Penn Power: Approximately 37,000 customers in
western Pennsylvania lost power
due to the storm, and 5,900 remain without service. The majority of
customers are expected to have power restored by 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12.
- Met-Ed: Approximately 22,900 customers in eastern
Pennsylvania lost power due to the
storm, and 6,700 remain without service. The majority of customers
are expected to have power restored by 11
p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11.
- Mon Power: Approximately 22,000 customers in
West Virginia lost power due to
the storm, and 6,700 remain without service. The majority of
customers are expected to have power restored by 11 p.m. today.
- Potomac Edison: Approximately 9,000 customers in the
West Virginia panhandle and
Maryland lost power due to the
storm, and 1,950 remain without service. The majority of customers
are expected to have power restored by 11
p.m. this evening.
- JCP&L: Approximately 85,100 customers in
New Jersey lost power due to the
storm, and 25,600 remain without service. Hardest hit areas include
Hunterdon Sussex and Passaic
counties in northern New Jersey,
and Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington counties in central New Jersey. The majority of customers are
expected to have power restored by 11:30
p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11.
How to Report Power Outages and Downed Lines
Customers who have experienced a service interruption due to the
storm are encouraged to report their outage if they have not
already done so by calling 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877), texting
OUT to LIGHTS (544487) or clicking the "Outages" link on
firstenergycorp.com.
FirstEnergy customers can sign up to receive email and text
message alert notifications for updates after they've reported a
power outage. Customers can also use two-way text messaging to
report outages, request updates on restoration efforts and make
other inquiries about their electric accounts. More information
about these communication tools is available at
firstenergycorp.com/connect.
The high winds have brought down trees and branches onto power
lines. Customers should assume all downed or low-hanging power
lines are energized and dangerous. Stay at least 30 feet away and
use extra caution where downed lines are tangled in trees or other
debris. Report downed lines ASAP by calling 911.
For updated information on the company's current outages, the
company's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe,
visit FirstEnergy's 24/7 Power Center at
firstenergycorp.com/outages.
Operate Backup Generators Safely
Emergency power generators offer an option for customers needing
or wanting uninterrupted service. To ensure the safety of the
home's occupants as well as that of electric 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 power lines, creating a hazardous
situation for company workers. Locate the generator outside of your
home and far away from windows, doors and vents. Never locate a
generator inside your home.
View additional generator safety information.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, 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 24,000 miles of
transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Visit FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and
follow FirstEnergy and its operating companies on X, formerly known
as Twitter, @FirstEnergyCorp, @ToledoEdison, @IlluminatingCo,
@OhioEdison, @MonPowerWV, @JCP_L, @Penn_Power, @Penelec, @Met_Ed,
@PotomacEdison, @W_Penn_Power.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.