CLEVELAND, July 3, 2026, 19:04 EDT
- Cuyahoga County outages dropped to roughly 3,900 by 7 p.m. EDT, down from 8,180 around midday, a 53% decrease.
- FirstEnergy reported fewer current Cuyahoga outages than Cleveland Public Power, but Lakewood officials still directed their criticism at the investor-owned utility.
- The outage dispute is key to FirstEnergy’s Ohio rate situation, after regulators last week decided to keep current reliability rules where they are.
FirstEnergy NYSE:FE saw another outage issue Friday night in suburban Cleveland, with the heat wave putting fresh stress on the grid. Local officials again criticized its reliability.
PowerOutage.us reported 3,880 outages in Cuyahoga County, or 0.69% of monitored accounts, just before 7 p.m. EDT. Cleveland Public Power showed 2,449 customers out, or 8.18% of its local base. FirstEnergy had 1,431 out in Cuyahoga, or 0.27%. Its statewide Ohio outage count hit 3,685, more than any other tracked utility.
Spectrum News said 8,180 customers in Cuyahoga were out at midday—4,705 on Cleveland Public Power, 3,475 with FirstEnergy. By early evening, the county number dropped about 53%. FirstEnergy’s Cuyahoga outages were down about 59%.
| Measure | Midday Friday | Near 7 p.m. EDT | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga County total outages | 8,180 | 3,880 | Down 53% |
| FirstEnergy Cuyahoga outages | 3,475 | 1,431 | Down 59% |
| Cleveland Public Power Cuyahoga outages | 4,705 | 2,449 | Down 48% |
| Current customer outage share | — | FirstEnergy 0.27%; CPP 8.18% | CPP rate about 30x FirstEnergy’s |
Politics didn’t match the actual outage numbers. Lakewood Mayor Meghan George said in a statement FirstEnergy’s “apathy and neglect” left homes without power in dangerous heat. She said she reached out to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s office and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. FirstEnergy told Spectrum the heat wave drove “extraordinary electricity demand” and said its crews, engineers and system operators were working to safely restore service. Spectrum News 1
The National Weather Service kept an Extreme Heat Warning up for Cuyahoga County through 8 p.m. EDT, warning heat index readings could reach 103 degrees. Cleveland was at 89 F when this was written.
Local outlets linked the outages to high temperatures and stressed equipment. Cleveland 19 quoted FirstEnergy spokesperson Brooke Conlan: “extreme heat though can place stress on the grid.” Conlan said crews were working “around the clock, 16-hour shifts.” The same report said substations in Olmsted Falls and Lakewood needed fixes. https://www.cleveland19.com News 5 Cleveland ran the Cuyahoga County outage under the headline “Equipment failure leaves thousands without power during heat wave in NEO.” News 5 Cleveland WEWS
Cleveland 19 said FirstEnergy blamed the Olmsted Falls outages on a pole fire and another problem at a local substation. The company told the outlet it had already gotten power back for around half the people who lost it.
Investors aren’t just looking at how many outages are left. The bigger question is if public frustration will make it tougher for FirstEnergy to justify its planned investments and rate hikes in Ohio. PUCO rejected FirstEnergy Ohio utilities’ push for easier reliability targets on June 24, keeping current rules in place. Regulators pointed to local pushback and earlier promises after frequent blackouts in Barberton and Lakewood.
| Investor item | FirstEnergy figure or event | Why it matters now |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ohio outage exposure | 3,685 FirstEnergy customers out statewide on PowerOutage.us | Heat is pushing up demand as visible outages hit service |
| 2026 capital plan | $6 billion planned investment | Outages pressure the case for reliability spend |
| 2026-2030 plan | $36 billion Energize365 program | Full rate recovery and backing from locals are core to the equity pitch |
| Q1 earnings base | Core EPS of $0.72, up from $0.67 a year earlier | Reliability investments tie directly to earnings growth |
| Ohio regulatory pressure | PUCO kept current reliability standards | Less leeway to excuse longer or more common outages |
FirstEnergy said in April it put nearly $1.4 billion into customer-focused capital in the first quarter. The company reaffirmed its 2026 core earnings target of $2.62 to $2.82 a share and held steady on its $36 billion capital plan for 2026-2030. CEO Brian X. Tierney said the plan is built around “customer-focused investments in a reliable and resilient electric grid.” FirstEnergy Investors
FirstEnergy’s June investor update said the company had filed a new three-year Ohio rate plan, covering July 2027 to June 2030, proposing to boost investments by 15%. The update also noted that contracted data center demand rose 32%, now reaching up to 5.6 gigawatts.
U.S. stock markets were closed Friday for the Independence Day holiday, per the NYSE and Nasdaq calendars. FirstEnergy was last seen at $48.53, putting its value at around $28.1 billion.
