FirstEnergy Corp. For Release: December 22, 2022
76 S. Main St. Akron, Ohio 44308
FirstEnergy Utilities Prepared to Respond to Winter Storm
AKRON, Ohio – FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) utility personnel are prepared to respond to possible service interruptions caused by a significant winter storm that is expected to bring ice, snow, rain, heavy wind and bitterly cold temperatures to its service territory beginning this afternoon through Saturday.
Company meteorologists have been tracking the winter storm for several days and expect severe winds and extreme cold throughout its entire service territory. In addition, ice accumulations are forecast in eastern West Virginia, northwestern Maryland and southwestern Pennsylvania, and heavy, blowing snow is expected throughout Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Heavy rain could occur in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Severe weather – particularly the wind, with widespread gusts of 40 to 50 miles per hour and reaching higher than 60 miles per hour along the lakeshores and ridgetops – will continue for more than 12 hours, impacting power restoration efforts. Line crews cannot safely go up in bucket trucks to make repairs when wind speeds are excessive. In addition, plummeting temperatures will flash freeze standing water, creating icy road conditions that can make it difficult to access damage to make repairs. Crews will need to take frequent breaks to warm up in their trucks with wind chills dipping as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit.