LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Another power outage has left Lakewood residents and business owners frustrated — and asking the same question: Why does this keep happening?
Several businesses and nearby homes along Madison Avenue near Bunts Road lost power late Saturday morning into early Saturday afternoon.
The outage was the second major power disruption in the Lakewood area within a single week.
News 5 covered the prior outage last Tuesday evening.
RELATED: Power restored to most customers following Tuesday outages
For Sofia Syed, who owns both Roasted Lakewood and Toasted, the outage forced her businesses to close hours early during what is typically one of the busiest days of the week.
Syed said the repeated outages are creating challenges for small businesses, including lost sales, reduced employee hours and spoiled food.
“My business, I have to close early. My employees' hours are getting cut. Our product is going bad,” Syed said. “It’s not just happening to me. Everyone in Lakewood — and they’re losing days of work and food and rent.”
Syed said she also lost hundreds of dollars in food after a refrigerator breaker tripped following the latest outage.
She said the repeated interruptions have made her nervous at times, but she's doing what she can—with what she has.
“You have to brace yourself,” Syed said. “Even when the lights flicker, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, all the power’s going to go out.’”
Another Lakewood resident, Robert Pugliese, said the repeated outages have become a source of frustration for people throughout the community.
“Everybody is just over it and doesn’t understand why it’s such a big problem,” Pugliese said.
The latest outage over the weekend impacted roughly 1,700 customers, according to FirstEnergy.
The company said additional crews were requested because of the complexity of the repairs, according to a statement on its map.
The power was restored Saturday.
FirstEnergy later told News 5 that electrical equipment caught fire, causing the outage.
News 5 cameras captured multiple Illuminating Company trucks in the area Monday as crews continued working.
The outages have become a growing concern in Lakewood following multiple disruptions this summer, including extended outages around the Fourth of July—which resulted in many local businesses speaking out and demanding action.
Lakewood City Council President Sarah Kepple is now calling for the city to explore its legal options against FirstEnergy.
In a letter to fellow council members dated July 20, Kepple called the utility’s reliability issues “entirely unacceptable” and said residents have reported losing food and medicine, with some facing serious health consequences during outages.
Kepple said Lakewood’s response should include continued pressure on FirstEnergy through the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, along with exploring additional legal action and local efforts to improve energy resiliency.
She plans to ask the City Council to refer the issue to the Committee of the Whole, where the Law Department could brief council members on the legal process and possible next steps.
The letter also outlines previous action taken by the city.
It states back in June 2025, Lakewood officials petitioned PUCO to investigate outages that occurred the week of June 23.
The following month, PUCO issued FirstEnergy a letter of Probable Non-Compliance, citing concerns including repeated equipment failures and the company’s communication with customers, communities and government agencies.
PUCO later ordered FirstEnergy to install two new transformers at a Lakewood substation and inspect and repair pole equipment by the end of 2026.
Lakewood also opposed a FirstEnergy request to lower its reliability standards. PUCO denied that request on June 24, 2026.
RELATED: PUCO rejects FirstEnergy's request for additional time to restore power outages
According to Kepple, PUCO cited the large number of complaints filed by Lakewood residents as a factor in that decision.
For residents and business owners, the concern now is what happens the next time the power goes out.
Syed said she wants FirstEnergy to do more to help customers who lose food, revenue and other property because of repeated outages.
With more summer heat — and the possibility of additional storms — residents and businesses say they are preparing for the worst.
Lakewood officials are also encouraging residents to continue filing complaints with PUCO to document problems with FirstEnergy’s service.
News 5 will continue to monitor the city’s potential legal action and the ongoing PUCO investigation.
