FirstEnergy Crews Assisting With Winter Storm Restoration Efforts in Maryland and West Virginia

AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) utilities have sent more than 250 employees – including 86 line crews – to Maryland and West Virginia to help restore electrical service to those affected by the heavy snow that hit the eastern United States yesterday.    

The company's mutual assistance effort includes:

• 30 crews from Ohio Edison/Pennsylvania Power working in Allegheny Energy's Frederick, Md., service territory
• 20 crews from Pennsylvania Electric Company working in Allegheny Energy's Cumberland, Md., service territory
• 14 crews from Jersey Central Power & Light working in Baltimore Gas & Electric's Baltimore, Md., service territory
• 12 crews from Metropolitan Edison Company working in Pepco's Gaithersburg, Md., service territory
• 10 crews from Toledo Edison working in Allegheny Energy's Fairmont, W. Va., service territory

FirstEnergy also is sending 20 damage assessors to assist in West Virginia.

"Our industry has a long-standing tradition of working together to help restore electrical service to areas affected by severe weather," said Charles E. Jones, Jr., senior vice president & president, FirstEnergy Utilities.  "When it comes to storm restoration work, FirstEnergy employees have shown time and time again they are some of the best in the business."

In 2010, FirstEnergy and its employees were honored by the Edison Electric Institute with its "Emergency Assistance Award" for mutual assistance the company provided after a devastating ice and snow storm caused large-scale power outages in Kentucky and Ohio.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio.  Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services.  Its seven electric utility operating companies comprise the nation's fifth largest investor-owned electric system, based on 4.5 million customers served within a 36,100-square-mile area of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey; and its generation subsidiaries control approximately 13,500 megawatts of capacity.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.