CLEVELAND, July 3, 2026 — Power outages across Cuyahoga County declined sharply Friday evening as the intense heat wave that strained the region's electrical grid began to ease. By 7 p.m. EDT, the number of customers without electricity had fallen to approximately 3,900, a 53% decrease from the midday peak of 8,180, according to data from PowerOutage.us.
FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) reported 1,431 outages in Cuyahoga County, representing just 0.27% of its monitored accounts. In contrast, Cleveland Public Power (CPP) had 2,449 outages, or 8.18% of its local customer base. Despite FirstEnergy's lower outage numbers, municipal leaders in Lakewood continued to voice strong criticism of the investor-owned utility.
Lakewood Mayor Meghan George issued a statement accusing FirstEnergy of "apathy and neglect," asserting that residents were left without power in dangerously hot conditions. She said she had contacted Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's office and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to express her concerns. FirstEnergy responded that the heat wave had driven "extraordinary electricity demand" and that crews were working "around the clock, 16-hour shifts" to restore service safely.
The National Weather Service maintained an Extreme Heat Warning for Cuyahoga County through 8 p.m. EDT, with heat index readings potentially reaching 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Cleveland's temperature stood at 89°F when this report was filed. Local media outlets linked the outages to equipment failures, with Cleveland 19 reporting that substations in Olmsted Falls and Lakewood required repairs. FirstEnergy blamed a pole fire and a substation issue in Olmsted Falls, noting that power had already been restored to roughly half of affected customers.
The outage dispute carries significant implications for FirstEnergy's regulatory standing in Ohio. On June 24, the PUCO rejected the company's push for easier reliability targets, maintaining existing standards. Regulators cited local opposition and prior commitments made after frequent blackouts in Barberton and Lakewood. This decision tightens the leash on FirstEnergy as it seeks approval for its $36 billion Energize365 capital plan covering 2026-2030.
FirstEnergy's 2026 capital plan includes $6 billion in investments, with the company emphasizing "customer-focused investments in a reliable and resilient electric grid." CEO Brian X. Tierney reiterated this commitment during the company's first-quarter earnings call, where core EPS came in at $0.72, up from $0.67 a year earlier. The company reaffirmed its 2026 core earnings target of $2.62 to $2.82 per share.
Investor attention is now focused on whether public frustration over outages will complicate FirstEnergy's ability to secure rate increases and justify its planned spending. The company has filed a new three-year Ohio rate plan covering July 2027 to June 2030, proposing a 15% increase in investments. Additionally, FirstEnergy disclosed that contracted data center demand had risen 32%, reaching up to 5.6 gigawatts, underscoring growing energy needs in the region.
U.S. stock markets were closed Friday for the Independence Day holiday, with FirstEnergy last trading at $48.53, giving the company a market capitalization of approximately $28.1 billion. The broader market context remains supportive for utility stocks, but regulatory and operational challenges could test investor confidence in FirstEnergy's growth narrative.
