Equipment supports ongoing reliability improvements to help reduce outages for customers
LAKEWOOD, Ohio, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) electric company The Illuminating Co. has reached a key milestone in its efforts to improve electric reliability in Lakewood and West Cleveland with the delivery of its first new transformer to the Lakewood Substation. Transformers are critical pieces of equipment that regulate voltage and help deliver electricity safely and reliably to homes and businesses.
The transformer, weighing about 55 tons (equivalent to nine adult elephants), was transported by truck from Roanoke, VA, to the substation on Athens Avenue – nearly 500 miles and a five-day commute – and lifted into place by crane. The installation marks a visible step forward in a broader plan to strengthen the local electric system and help improve reliability for nearly 11,000 customers.
A second, identical transformer will be delivered to a local Illuminating Co. service center the week of June 29 before being moved to the Lakewood Substation later this summer. Each transformer represents an approximately $1.85 million investment, including equipment, transportation, installation, etc.
“The delivery of these transformers is an important step in building a stronger, more resilient electric system for Lakewood,” said Torrence Hinton, President of FirstEnergy Ohio. “Our customers depend on reliable power, and these investments will help us deliver on that commitment and support the community’s future needs.”
Building Better Reliability for Customers
Once both transformers are installed at the Lakewood Substation, customers can expect improved grid reliability, including the potential for reduced outage durations and faster service restoration times.
The substation will also gain greater back up capacity. This added flexibility gives crews more options to shift load and restore power more efficiently during outages and periods of peak demand.
In addition to improving reliability for customers directly served by the Lakewood Substation, this upgrade may also benefit surrounding communities. With increased capacity and flexibility, Lakewood circuits could potentially be used to help restore service to customers supplied by neighboring substations during outages, further strengthening overall system reliability in the area.
Investments Already Making a Difference
The transformer installations are part of a series of upgrades already improving reliability in the Lakewood area, including:
- Substation Upgrades: All four breakers have been replaced at a substation serving Lakewood, which helps strengthen the equipment that supplies power to Lakewood.
- Neighborhood Equipment Upgrades: Crews have resolved voltage issues in several areas and continue replacing equipment on neighborhood utility poles to improve reliability and reduce the risk of outages. Since October 2024, we’ve completed work on equipment atop or around 167 poles.
- Smart Meter Installations: We’ve started to install smart meters, a step toward a more modernized electric system that will enable automated meter readings and enhance our ability to respond to outages faster and more efficiently.
- Proactive Tree Trimming: Crews have pruned trees in nearly 100 locations ahead of schedule to reduce outages caused by falling limbs, a top cause for outages in Ohio.
Recent work has also reduced the length of outages for customers, with the total time customers were without power dropping by 98% in December 2025 compared with December 2024. Local power lines served by the Lakewood Substation have also seen a 25% decrease in overall outage time.
What’s Next
Crews will now begin the work to complete transformer installation in the coming weeks, and the transformers are on track to be energized later this year. To maintain service during construction, the mobile substation will continue operating until the new equipment is fully installed and energized.
The Illuminating Company serves more than 750,000 customers across Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. Follow The Illuminating Company on X @IlluminatingCo and on Facebook at facebook.com/IlluminatingCo.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor’s Note: Images and video of the transformer delivery are available to download from Flickr.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
