Spring Storm Season Starts, First Energy Wants to Allow More Outages - WILL STORM SEASON BRING LONGER OUTAGES?
[First Energy says storm outages are caused by outdated equipment and more violent storms so it wants more time to restore service.]_First Energy asked PUCO for more time to restore power after storm caused outages. But Ohio electric customers don't want to pay more for worse service._
Last summer, FIRST ENERGY customers in Cleveland saw frequent home and small business electricity [https://www.ohenergyratings.com/electricity-rates/business#/] outages that often lasted too long. Due to the public outrage, FIRST ENERGY launched a $12.5 million [https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/we-follow-through/firstenergy-unveils-12-5m-investment-plan-as-some-lakewood-residents-are-hit-with-another-power-outage] grid repair plan to reduce future outages. But recently, the utility company asked PUCO to give all of its Ohio utilities more time to repair storm outages. Doing so would let utilities take up to 2 1/2 hours to restore power. So this begs the question; could all FIRST ENERGY [https://www.ohenergyratings.com/companies/firstenergy] customers see longer outages just as the spring storm season starts?
FIRST ENERGY ASKS FOR MORE TIME
Earlier this month, FIRST ENERGY asked PUCO to allow its three utilities more time to restore power [https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2026/03/05/firstenergy-puco-power-outage-leeway-ohio] after storm blackouts. For example...
