FirstEnergy has announced a $12.5 million infrastructure investment plan aimed at reducing the ongoing power outages affecting Lakewood residents. The move comes after months of public frustration and more than 800 formal complaints to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).

According to FirstEnergy Vice President of Distribution Engineering and Planning, Sally Thomas, the funds will target critical upgrades, including:

• $4 million for transformer replacements

• $1.6 million for breaker replacements

• $6.9 million for smart meter installations

• Additional spending on repairs and monitoring systems

The plan also includes proactive tree maintenance and drone inspections of switching structures. Despite the announcement, more than 500 customers experienced outages during the town hall held on August 11.

PUCO previously found probable non-compliance and cited aging infrastructure as the root cause of the persistent disruptions. It also mandated corrective actions including a detailed improvement strategy and improved customer communication.

While the investment will be absorbed within FirstEnergy’s current budget, it is scheduled to be completed by 2027. As of now, FirstEnergy has no plans for additional town halls and has stated that reimbursements for spoiled food and losses due to outages are not permitted under current utility tariffs.