PUCO sends notice of probable non-compliance following several power outages in Lakewood
LAKEWOOD, Ohio (WOIO) — On Friday, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio sent a letter of probable noncompliance to Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company following several power outages last month in the city of Lakewood.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, known as PUCO, has found that the power outages caused by events from June 30 to July 15 were a result of equipment and line failures, not weather conditions, according to the letter.
PUCO identified eight major FirstEnergy equipment failures in Lakewood during its investigation. The investigation found more than 18,000 customer power outages occurring over prolonged periods during the two-week span.
This is the second consecutive year of prolonged outages in Lakewood, where similar problems were investigated in June 2025, according to PUCO.
In PUCO’s investigations, many of the outages from 2025 and 2026 were due to repeated equipment issues. In the past two years, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company has never presented a long-term fix for the Lakewood area.
In the notice, PUCO staff found certain substations to be cooled by sprinkler systems, the same system used for fire suppression and other emergencies.
The city of Lakewood sent a statement regarding the unusual cooling methods from Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company:
The difference between the letters of probable noncompliance sent by PUCO in 2025 and 2026 was the proposed forfeiture of $3,049,750 assessed to Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, according to the 2026 PUCO notice of noncompliance.
To address the issues of noncompliance, PUCO sent proposed corrective actions that Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company can take, which include:
- Implement the corrective actions PUCO sent in October 2025, resolving the notice of probable noncompliance last year.
- Perform an analysis of all equipment and infrastructure serving the city of Lakewood that failed, and determine if any equipment was operating above or below its designed peak load no later than Oct. 31.
- Review all power lines, cables, transformers and other equipment that serve Lakewood, and by Oct. 31, estimate how long each piece is expected to last based on manufacturer specs and known failure rates.
- Inspect all underground lead cables that serve the Lakewood area no later than Sept. 4, while fixing needed repairs by the end of the year.
- Continue to notify the PUCO of additional outages, while including causes and equipment involved.
- Provide PUCO with the steps the power company will take when communities experience power outages, as well as an estimated time of restoration.
PUCO says Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company has until Aug. 21 to comply or will be fined more each day.
In the city of Lakewood’s statement, Mayor George thanks Lakewood City Council and the surrounding community for raising their concerns about the power outages.