Media Advisory: Tropical Storm Isaias Update

AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) utilities continue restoration efforts for customers of Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) and Metropolitan Edison (Met-Ed) who lost power as a result of Tropical Storm Isaias. Service has been restored to approximately 478,000 JCP&L customers and approximately 83,000 Met-Ed customers.

Downed trees, broken branches and road closures continue to hamper crews' efforts to access areas with damage to make repairs to broken poles and downed wires. Nearly 6,000 utility personnel from JCP&L, other FirstEnergy companies, and partner utilities from electric industry mutual assistance organizations are working to restore power in the hardest hit areas in JCP&L. FirstEnergy continues to work closely with these organizations to secure additional resources to assist with storm restoration efforts should they be needed.

Utility Summaries

• JCP&L: Crews are making repairs to about 310,000 customers who remain without power. Hardest hit areas include Monmouth, Ocean and Morris counties. Based on current outages and damage assessments, we expect to restore 85% of affected customers by the end of the day Friday. The majority of remaining customers in both the Northern and Central Regions are expected to be restored by Tuesday, August 11 at 11:30 p.m.
• Met-Ed: Work is ongoing to restore power to the remaining 5,000 customers, with the majority of customers expected to be restored by Friday afternoon.

More Information

During severe weather, customers who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the "Report Outage" link on www.firstenergycorp.com. Customers should immediately report downed wires to their utility or their local police or fire department. Customers should never go near a downed power line, even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be exercised in areas where downed wires may be tangled in downed tree branches or other debris.

To safeguard the health and safety of FirstEnergy employees, contractors and the public, please respect social distancing protocols as utility personnel work around the clock to restore all power outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias.

• Water and Ice Locations: Water and ice are available to customers without service due to yesterday's storm. For a list of locations, visit http://www.firstenergycorp.com/storminfo and click on "water and ice locations."

• Customer Generators: Emergency power generators offer an option for customers needing or wanting uninterrupted service. However, to ensure the safety of the home's occupants as well as that of utility company employees who may be working on power lines in the area, the proper generator should be selected and installed by a qualified electrician. When operating a generator, the power coming into the home should always be disconnected. Otherwise, power from the generator could be sent back onto the utility lines, creating a hazardous situation for utility workers.

For updated information on the company's current outages, FirstEnergy's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.

Connect with FirstEnergy companies online at www.firstenergycorp.com, on Twitter at @Met_Ed or @JCP_L, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MetEdElectric or www.facebook.com/JCPandL.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.