Business
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Crews Preparing for Fourth Round of Severe Storms
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA) – a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) company known locally as Penn Power, Penelec, Met-Ed and West Penn Power – is preparing for another round of severe weather expected to move through the state Wednesday night and Thursday, marking the fourth significant storm system in the past 12 days.
About this update from Firstenergy Corp.
GREENBURG, Pa., June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA) – a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) company known locally as Penn Power, Penelec, Met-Ed and West Penn Power – is preparing for another round of severe weather expected to move through the state Wednesday night and Thursday, marking the fourth significant storm system in the past 12 days. FE PA is closely monitoring forecasted conditions as the system develops. While projections may vary, strong wind gusts — potentially reaching up to 65 mph in some areas — remain the primary concern, with the potential to bring down trees and send branches and debris into power lines. To support restoration efforts and respond quickly to potential outages, the company will mobilize a substantial workforce, including additional lineworkers and support personnel, as well as forestry crews and hazard and damage assessment teams. These resources will join FE PA employees already prepared to support 24/7 restoration efforts. John Hawkins, FirstEnergy President, Pennsylvania: "This has been an extraordinary stretch of severe weather, and we are fully mobilized to meet whatever this next system brings. All hands are on deck, and additional resources are in place so that we can respond to damage quickly, assess conditions in real time and restore power as safely and efficiently as possible." Prepared for Ongoing Complex Storm Impacts The past two weeks have been highly unusual, with multiple major storm systems moving through our service area since early June, including 14 confirmed tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service. Combined with repeated rounds of heavy rain, high winds and lightning, these conditions have created widespread, complex damage that requires careful, time-intensive restoration work. To help manage this latest system safely and efficiently, FE PA has activated its incident command structure so teams across the service area can coordinate restoration work, equipment needs and field support as conditions change. FE PA takes a proactive, year-round approach to maintaining a reliable electric system, especially during extreme weather. This includes ongoing tree trimming to keep vegetation away from power lines and reduce outages, investing in major system upgrades to strengthen the grid, and conducting routine aerial inspections to identify and addr...