Thousands of Personnel Engaged in FirstEnergy's Power Restoration Effort in Pennsylvania and West Virginia

Rhea-AI Summary

FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is actively responding to widespread power outages affecting 150,000 customers in Pennsylvania and West Virginia following a severe storm on April 29. Over 4,750 personnel are working around the clock to restore service, with 275,000 customers already restored out of 380,000 affected. The storm, recorded as the second-worst since 2009 in western Pennsylvania, caused extensive damage with wind speeds reaching 110-120 mph in Cambria County. Adding to the challenge, another severe weather system is expected with 40-50 mph winds, potentially slowing restoration efforts. The company has provided detailed restoration timelines by county, with most areas expected to have power restored between May 2-5. FirstEnergy is offering free water and ice to affected Pennsylvania customers and has emphasized generator safety protocols during the outage.

Positive

• More than 72% of affected customers (275,000 out of 380,000) have already had power restored
• Large-scale response with 4,750 internal and external resources working 24/7
• Company providing free water and ice to affected Pennsylvania customers
• Clear communication with detailed restoration timelines provided by county

Negative

• 150,000 customers still without power
• New incoming severe weather system threatens to slow restoration efforts
• Some areas face extended outages with restoration estimates as late as May 5
• Wind conditions above 40 mph prevent safe operation of bucket trucks, potentially causing delays

Crews continue working 24/7 to restore service to 150,000 customers following intense storm

GREENSBURG, Pa., May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Power has been restored to more than 275,000 of the 380,000 FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) customers impacted by the April 29 storm that produced significant, widespread damage due to heavy rain and excessive winds in many parts of the service area. More than 4,750 internal and external resources are working 24/7 to restore power to customers who remain without service in the hardest hit areas of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

John Hawkins, President, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania: "The recent storm in the greater Pittsburgh area is our second worst on record since 2009 in western Pennsylvania, ranking among the top storms in the company's history in terms of impact. The widespread area of straight-line winds – such as the 110-120 mph wind speeds reported in Cambria County by the National Weather Service – caused hundreds of instances of broken poles, downed wires and equipment damage across our western and central Pennsylvania footprint. As we continue our efforts to restore power to every last customer, we urge everyone to prioritize safety. We deeply appreciate your continued patience and support of our field personnel."

Company personnel are also preparing to respond to service interruptions caused by another severe weather system that is expected to bring strong wind gusts and potential thunderstorms this afternoon to portions of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. The system is expected to bring wind gusts of 40 to 50 miles per hour – and potentially higher in some areas with an additional risk of scattered thunderstorms. The high winds could slow restoration efforts, as crews cannot safely operate bucket trucks when wind speeds exceed 40 miles per hour.

Current outage updates as of 11 a.m. today include:

• West Penn Power: Approximately 197,000 FirstEnergy Pennsylvania customers in the West Penn Power service area lost power from the storm, and 78,500 remain without power.
• Penelec: Approximately 107,400 FirstEnergy Pennsylvania customers in the Penelec service area lost power from the storm, and 13,600 remain without power.
• Penn Power: Approximately 13,600 FirstEnergy Pennsylvania customers in the Penn Power service area lost power from the storm, and 2,300 remain without power.
• Mon Power: Approximately 36,300 Mon Power customers lost power from the storm, and 5,300 remain without power. Power will be restored to most customers by 11 p.m. this evening.

Established while crews are restoring power and assessing the full extent of damages, the initial "global estimated time of restoration" (ETR) represents an estimate of when service will be restored to the majority of customers following major outage events. Many customers will have their power restored before that time. Work to restore power continues around the clock, and many customers will have service restored sooner, based on the level of damage in their area. 

Listed below are the ETRs by county for customers served by Penelec, Penn Power and West Penn Power. If your county is not listed, please log into your account at firstenergycorp.com or text STAT to 544487 if you are registered for text alerts to get your specific outage ETR.

• Allegheny County – Sunday, May 4, by 11 p.m.
• Armstrong County – Monday, May 5, by 3 p.m.
• Blair County – Saturday, May 3, by 11 p.m.
• Butler County – Customers served by Penn Power are expected to have power restored by Saturday, May 3, by 11 p.m. Customers served by West Penn Power are expected to have power restored by Sunday, May 4, by 11 p.m.
• Centre County – Sunday, May 4, by 11 p.m.
• Clearfield County – Many customers in the county are expected to have power restored by Saturday, May 3, by 11 p.m.; customers in the hardest hit areas of the county expected to have power restored by Sunday, May 4, by 11 p.m.
• Greene County – Saturday, May 3, by 11 p.m.
• Indiana County - Saturday, May 3, by 11 p.m.
• Mifflin County – Friday, May 2, by 11 p.m.
• Washington County - Many customers in the county are expected to have power restored by Saturday, May 3, by 11 p.m.; customers in the hardest hit areas of the county expected to have power restored by Sunday, May 4, by 11 p.m.
• Westmoreland County - Many customers in the county are expected to have power restored by Saturday, May 3, by 11 p.m.; customers in the hardest hit areas of the county expected to have power restored by Monday, May 5, by 3 p.m.

As additional information about necessary repairs is understood, more detailed ETRs will be provided. Customers can view their current individual ETR for their particular outage by logging into their account at firstenergycorp.com, texting STAT to 54487, or viewing the outage map at firstenergycorp.com/outages.

If they have not done so already, customers who are without power can call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) or text OUT to 544487 to report their outage or click the "Outages" link on firstenergycorp.com.

Free water and ice is available to Pennsylvania customers who remain without power. Customers can visit a participating Giant or Giant Eagle store to receive two 1-gallon bottles of water or one 24-pack of bottled water and two 7-9 pound bags of ice or one 20-25-pound of ice. Please let the store know that you are a FirstEnergy customer without power at checkout. A list of participating stores is available online http://bit.ly/FEwaterice.

FirstEnergy's Restoration Process:

FirstEnergy follows a formal restoration process after severe weather, focusing on repairs that will address the largest number of customers before moving on to more isolated issues. The restoration effort typically begins with transmission and substation facilities and then prioritizes critical facilities like hospitals, communications and emergency response agencies.

Additionally, hundreds of isolated issues affect individual or small numbers of customers. These are the most time-consuming repairs because they require our crews to go to each individual location to make the repairs. Many of the isolated issues include repairs to "service drops," which are wires attached to each home to deliver electricity from the neighborhood power line. These wires are often damaged by fallen trees and large branches.

For updated information on the company's current outages, storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, visit FirstEnergy's 24/7 Power Center at firstenergycorp.com/outages. To learn more about navigating the recently updated map, please visit bit.ly/FEoutagemapupdates.

Generator Safety Reminder:

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 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, @IlluminatingCo, @OhioEdison,.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

FAQ

How many FirstEnergy (FE) customers are still without power after the April 29 storm?

150,000 FirstEnergy customers remain without power, primarily in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, after the April 29 storm that initially affected 380,000 customers.

When will FirstEnergy restore power to affected areas in Pennsylvania?

Restoration times vary by county, with most areas expected to have power restored between May 2-5. Some counties like Mifflin will be restored by May 2, while others like Armstrong County will be restored by May 5.

What assistance is FirstEnergy providing to customers during the power outage?

FirstEnergy is providing free water and ice to affected Pennsylvania customers through participating Giant and Giant Eagle stores, offering two 1-gallon bottles of water or one 24-pack, and two bags of ice or one 20-25-pound bag.

How severe was the storm damage to FirstEnergy's infrastructure?

The storm caused extensive damage with wind speeds of 110-120 mph in Cambria County, ranking as the second-worst storm since 2009 in western Pennsylvania, causing hundreds of broken poles and downed wires.

How many workers are involved in FirstEnergy's power restoration efforts?

More than 4,750 internal and external resources are working 24/7 to restore power to customers in the hardest-hit areas of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.