Lakewood updates FirstEnergy complaint, seeks interim plan during grid upgrades
LAKEWOOD, Ohio (WOIO) - Over two months later, Lakewood Mayor George updated the city’s complaint against FirstEnergy Friday, asking for an interim plan when long-term grid upgrades happen.
The city says the updated complaint asks the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to explore additional requirements for FirstEnergy to provide support to Lakewood’s power grid while it is being upgraded.
The city further cited FirstEnergy’s “Response and Corrective Action Plan,” which the city said “indicates that the company will undertake a long-term plan to retire, replace, or upgrade facilities but mentioned no plans for interim capacity while implementing that long-term plan.”
Mayor George’s letter, addressed to PUCO Chair Jenifer French and PUCO commissioners, called upon PUCO to mandate FirstEnergy to develop an interim plan so “Lakewood residents and businesses do not continue to suffer from major power outages while long-term upgrades happen.”
Read the full updated complaint:
Previously the city filed an updated complaint with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) in July asking the commission to resume the noncompliance case opened last year in response to its earlier complaint, according to a release from the city.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Lakewood files another complaint against FirstEnergy over prolonged outages
In that complaint, Mayor Meghan F. George, on behalf of Lakewood, comes in response to another multi-day power outage stemming from the failure of FirstEnergy’s aging equipment and infrastructure serving the city, the release said.
PREVIOUS: Lakewood power outage: Day two leaves businesses, residents scrambling
The updated complaint that was submitted in July:
The push comes amid what the city described as clear indications that the existing corrective plan was not enough to address FirstEnergy’s ongoing failure to meet its duty to provide Lakewood residents with safe, reliable power.
George is also asking the commission to reopen the case and require FirstEnergy to fix its equipment and infrastructure issues.
She is requesting that the commission implement financial penalties and other consequences, the release said.
This could direct fines, refunds to ratepayers or other options such as an escrow system.
George noted that recent success with the commission was the result of a team effort that included residents and Lakewood City Council, and she said she hopes to continue that approach, according to the release.
“I want to thank City Council for their additional advocacy and especially thank all the Lakewood residents that provided comments for consideration by PUCO and who continue to make direct complaints that document the serious scale of this issue,” she said. “These are life-and-death matters when our power fails at the times we need it the most.”
PUCO told 19 News it has received this correspondence from the mayor.
“PUCO staff is actively investigating last week’s outages to determine the cause. Additionally, staff will determine whether changes or additions to FirstEnergy’s 2025 corrective action plan are needed,” a PUCO spokesperson said.
FirstEnergy also sent 19 News a response to our request for comment on this latest filing.
“We understand customers depend on reliable electric service, and we know power outages are disruptive for families and businesses. We continue to make significant investments in Lakewood’s electric system to strengthen reliability and improve customer expectations.
Last week’s extreme heat placed unprecedented stress on electrical systems across the region, increasing demand on the grid and contributing to service interruptions. While no electric system can be completely immune to outages caused by severe weather, equipment issues or other unforeseen circumstances, our focus is on making investments that reduce the frequency of outages and minimize their impact when they do happen.
Across Lakewood and throughout our service territory, we are investing millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements designed to build a stronger, more resilient electric system. In Lakewood specifically, efforts include installing two new transformers, replacing aging equipment, enhancing vegetation management programs, inspecting poles, installing smart meters and completing other upgrades that help improve reliability and support faster restoration.
Many of these improvements are already underway, and we are committed to identifying additional opportunities to strengthen the grid, reduce outages and duration.
We appreciate the feedback from Mayor George and other local leaders and will continue to work closely with them as we continue this work. Reliability remains our top priority, and these investments reflect our long-term commitment to providing safe, dependable service for Lakewood residents and businesses."
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
