LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Is First Energy now charging customers for streetlight usage? A social media post sparks the question after one customer's bill claimed an adjustment in her billing was due to it.
Sarah Badgett, since November, has been paying her FirstEnergy bill. Each one costs roughly $40 to $60.
She then got a letter in the mail dated March 30, explaining that the billing on her account from Nov. 25 to March 26 has been reviewed and adjusted due to "an estimated reading for the streetlights."
Her new bill for those four months is $839.84.
First Energy claims 4,403 kilowatt-hours were used during those four months.
"Even over four months, we wouldn't use that much. That seems fishy to me," Badgett told me on Monday.
Looking at her previous billing cycles, the most electricity Badgett's family had used from March 2025 through October 2025 was 807 kilowatt-hours in one month.
Badgett's home also primarily runs on solar power, hence why her electricity bills run lower.
"I just knew something was wrong," Badgett said.
She asked a Lakewood Facebook group about it, but no one in the comments had answers or a similar story. Some thought it was an April Fool's joke or scam.
I reached out to FirstEnergy Sunday night for answers.
First Energy Transmission Communications Program Manager, Lauren Siburkis, told me on Monday that an incorrect rebill notice referencing streetlight service was mistakenly sent, "which understandably caused confusion."
However, Siburkis said the $839.84 charge is accurate. $250 of that appears to be an Illuminating Company fee.
FirstEnergy is looking into the fee.
"In this instance, the customer’s bill reflected multiple months of adjustments related to earlier estimated meter readings that occurred when our team was unable to access the meter. Once an actual or verified reading becomes available, those estimates are corrected through a standard rebilling process," Siburkis said.
Badgett responded by saying, "We have solar panels, so we actually usually get a credit from First Energy every month except for the winter months, but like when it's gray in Cleveland and we don't get as much sun, so the production is a lot lower in the winter months. For the most part, we have a surplus on our account, so it kind of all balances out because then when the winter hits, that surplus, they kind of don't charge us for a while because we have all this credit built up. When I saw that, I'm like this cannot be right because we're normally getting paid, not the other way around."
Badgett now has until April 20 to pay the balance.
The delay in this charge, according to FirstEnergy, allegedly stems from crews not being able to access Badgett's meter to get a real reading.
FirstEnergy tells me access issues included swarms of bees near the meter, which it claims were communicated to Badgett on her bill during the summer months.
"Over the summer, the customer’s bill stated in the top right corner that the estimated reading was due to bees. There were other access issues that led to additional estimated readings, but I’m not sure of those details," Siburkis said.
I've since asked FirstEnergy how and why a "swarm of bees" during the summer months would impact readings taken during the wintertime.
I also asked for pictures of the bees, but none could be provided.
Badgett said she had no recollection of bees buzzing around her backyard, nor has she seen a notification regarding the access issue.
"I have two little kids and a dog, and I definitely would have called a bee person and gotten it taken care of," Badgett said.
She told me she has been in contact with FirstEnergy, but doesn't feel like she's getting anywhere in terms of a resolution. She said FirstEnergy offered to send a second crew out to verify the reading, but she confirms the reading is accurate on her meter.
Badgett believes, though, that something is wrong with the physical meter, or she's missing a solar panel credit.
However, Siburkis said, "The customer’s solar panels produced fewer kilowatt-hours this year compared to last year, while her overall energy usage increased, resulting in higher bills."
Badgett is working to get more of an explanation and, hopefully, a solution that results in the dismissal of this bill or another adjustment.
She said having gone through this, she's now concerned about future bills.
"I am concerned, especially because I have solar panels. Upon also investigating this further, I talked to my mom this morning, and my mom and dad also have solar panels, and they said a similar thing happened to them last year and this year. If it's happened to them twice, then it could start happening to us more often and, in general, to people who have solar panels. I just want to make sure that we're diligent and start checking it more," Badgett said.
Once I hear more from FirstEnergy about the $250 charge that appears to be an Illuminating Company fee, I'll add that here.
