LAKEWOOD, Ohio — FirstEnergy said the latest outage in Lakewood occurred on Wednesday, March 11. The utility company said the issue was caused by a switch serving part of a local substation.
The utility company is assessing the cause of the issue to help prevent similar situations, but residents are really frustrated because this isn't just a one-time issue.
Longtime Lakewood resident Bob Peck said he counted nine major power outages in 2025. Peck said the outages aren't quick blips; they last hours and completely disrupt daily life.
“I understand the power is going to go out, that happens everywhere, but it can’t be every month for three, four, or five hours. That is just too much. It’s affecting my quality of life and the quality of life of everyone, whether or not you’re trying to get some work done, or feed your family, or just walk through your house without hurting yourself," said Peck.
Peck said he's been writing letters to draw more attention to the issue.
He is urging neighbors to write Firstto Energy and local leaders, too.
“We’re paying a lot for electricity more and more every year and getting lower quality service, so it’s a big issue," said Peck.
All of this comes as FirstEnergy is asking the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to lower its reliability standards for power outages.
Lakewood Mayor Meghan George said those standards should not be lowered, especially after repeated stories of her residents being left in the dark.
"These power outages are life and death matters. We've gotten calls about people running out of oxygen, stuck in elevators, having to throw out food on fixed incomes. That is just simply unacceptable in this day and age, so the city is working hard on your behalf to hold these utilities accountable," said George.
George said many of the outages stem from infrastructure issues that date back decades.
In August, FirstEnergy unveiled a $12.5 million investment plan to address equipment issues and improve monitoring. That should be finished in 2027.
George said the infrastructure issues will require major investments like new substations, transformers, power lines, and tree trimming.
