CLEVELAND, Ohio — In the suburbs of Cleveland, where the cozy neighborhoods of West Park and Lakewood define the community’s rhythm of life, repeated power outages have become a source of growing concern. Residents who experienced outages as early as January now find themselves in darkness again, battling the heat and frustration. The latest incident, leaving over 11,000 FirstEnergy customers without electricity on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, highlighted a chronic problem that locals say has gotten out of control. While America invests billions in modernizing energy grids, this story from the heart of Ohio serves as a reminder: outdated infrastructure can overshadow even the most vibrant communities.
Chronicle of Darkness
For Candice Gibbons, a Lakewood resident, power outages are not just an inconvenience but a exhausting routine. “It's too much, ” she says, recalling Saturday evening, May 31, when the power went out at 7:30 p.m. and didn’t return until 11 p.m. “It just gets old.” On Tuesday, just a few days later, another outage at 9:30 p.m. left her and thousands of neighbors in the dark. These incidents are just the latest in a series that began back in December 2024, when, she says, electricity failed up to 15 times over a few weeks.
In January, Gibbons already contacted FirstEnergy, the energy company serving the region, with a simple plea: “Fix it.” At that time, the cold prompted her to worry about heating her home. Now, with the summer heat gripping Cleveland, the stakes are even higher. “It’s getting hot, and there are no fans, ” she recounts. “We have to sit in the car, where it might be cooler, or by a backyard fire, like on Saturday when it was cold.”
The problem is not only about comfort. Gibbons reports spoiled food — meat, ice cream for her child, eggs, which she throws away, distrusting their quality after the outages. Her biggest concern is safety, especially for elderly neighbors. “Someone could trip in the dark, ” she says. “Or suffer from the heat. This is not a joke.”
FirstEnergy’s Response: Explanations Without Solutions
FirstEnergy, whose subsidiary The Illuminating Company provides electricity in the region, acknowledges the problem, but their explanations do not reassure residents. According to their statement, the outage on Saturday was caused by a transformer failure at a local substation affecting 4,600 customers. On Tuesday, line workers identified an issue with equipment and restored power within 30 minutes, but the causes are still “under investigation.” News 5, a local TV station, contacted the company for additional comments regarding the Tuesday incident, but has yet to receive a response.
Local leaders, like Lakewood council member Tristan Sly, confirm that the electrical grid in the area is old, but for Gibbons, that’s no excuse. “If it’s a transformer, replace it, ” she insists. “Why can’t this be fixed forever?” Her frustration reflects a broader community mood, where residents are tired of temporary fixes. On X platform, users like @LakewoodResident express their outrage: “FirstEnergy failed us again. How much more?”
The Root of the Problem
Outages in West Park and Lakewood are not isolated issues but symptoms of Ohio's aging energy infrastructure. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the state’s power grid requires billions of dollars in upgrades to handle extreme weather and growing demand. In Lakewood, a densely populated suburb with historic homes and trees hanging over power lines, local factors complicate the situation. Previous reports from FirstEnergy, particularly following winter outages in January 2025, pointed to equipment problems at substations, such as faulty circuit breakers that the company promised to replace.
However, progress has been slow. Lakewood Mayor Megan George, who herself experienced outages last summer, actively communicates with FirstEnergy. After January’s incidents, she said the company was installing new circuit breakers, but the summer outages indicate systemic issues remain. “One outage due to a storm is normal, ” George said in January. “But recurring failures? That’s unacceptable.”
The economic impacts are also tangible. Local businesses, like cafes on Madison Avenue, lose customers during outages because cash registers or Wi-Fi do not work without power. West Park resident Adam Cruz, owner of a small bakery, reported losing thousands of dollars due to spoiled products after December disruptions. “It hits the wallet, ” he says. “And no one compensates.”
Broader Context
The issues in Lakewood and West Park mirror a national crisis. In 2024, powerful storms in Ohio left hundreds of thousands without electricity, and FirstEnergy acknowledged that the August storm was the most devastating since 1993. The 2021 federal infrastructure law allocated $7.5 billion for grid modernization, but funds are slow to be distributed, and Ohio competes with other states for resources. Energy companies like FirstEnergy also face criticism for underinvesting in preventive measures despite billions in profits. In 2021, the company admitted guilt in a corruption scandal related to bribes for legislative favors, which eroded public trust.
Climate change adds pressure. Heatwaves like in June 2025 overload grids, and old transformers cannot handle the load. “It’s a vicious cycle, ” says Dr. Sarah Ellis, an energy expert at Case Western Reserve University. “Without serious investments, outages will become the norm.”
The Community Demands Change
While FirstEnergy promises to investigate, residents of West Park and Lakewood are losing patience. Gibbons, who cares for her child and an elderly neighbor, wants action, not explanations. “It’s no fun sitting in the dark, ” she says. “You’re rushing around, not knowing when it will end.” Her simple plea to the company: “Do your job.”
Local activists, such as the group Lakewood Residents for Reliable Power, are planning a petition to state regulators demanding an audit of FirstEnergy’s infrastructure. “We pay for electricity, ” wrote organizer Michael Reves on X. “Why are we not getting reliability?” Meanwhile, George vows to keep pressuring the company, and News 5 plans to monitor the situation.
For Gibbons and her neighbors, each new day brings anxiety: will the lights turn on? In a town proud of its community, power outages are not just a technical issue but a test of resilience. As Lakewood and West Park await solutions, their story reminds us: in the modern world, reliable electricity is not a luxury but a right.
