FirstEnergy meets with City of Cleveland Heights to address power outage concerns

Cleveland Heights Mayor Ed Kelley and Council Member Jason Stein met with John Skory, president of CEI (FirstEnergy), on Dec. 3 to discuss the city's concerns about the company’s handling of the power outage caused by Hurricane Sandy. Both Kelley and Stein had expressed frustration at a Nov. 7 city council meeting, and Stein had requested a meeting in a letter he sent to Anthony J. Alexander, president and CEO of FirstEnergy, that same day.

The storm caused the downing of several trees and power lines. More than 11,500 Cleveland Heights residents lost power, and many were without power for more than five days.

Stein reported that Skory “made a strong verbal commitment to improve FirstEnergy’s storm preparation and management, as well as reduce the non-storm-related power outages that occur in the city.” Skory asked for an opportunity to show that “positive changes will be made,” and committed to returning within a month “to share a plan for the city’s power grid with a detailed map that will identify problem areas and offer resolutions to these problems.”

Skory also said that FirstEnergy will, in the future, call Cleveland Heights City Hall prior to any predicted major storms, to keep the city informed, and will have conference calls to respond to residents’ concerns. Stein reported that Skory committed to “having dedicated crews in Cleveland Heights that will be here during a storm and will not leave until the storm is over and all power has been restored.”

“I am hopeful that from the unfortunate mismanagement of the storm will now come a positive outcome for all residents of Cleveland Heights, with improvements to our electrical grid and services across the entire city,” said Stein.

Deanna Bremer Fisher

Deanna Bremer Fisher is executive director of FutureHeights and publisher of the Heights Observer.

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Volume 6, Issue 1, Posted 11:18 PM, 12.27.2012