The Illuminating Company's 2020 Tree Trimming Program to Enhance Service Reliability

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio, June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Illuminating Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), is conducting tree trimming and other vegetation management work in communities across its northeast Ohio service area as part of its ongoing efforts to help enhance electric service reliability. This year's $15.1 million tree-trimming program will help keep power flowing to customers around the clock by preventing tree-related outages, such as those that can occur during the spring and summer storm season.

Since the beginning of the year, tree contractors have trimmed trees along nearly 900 miles of power lines across The Illuminating Company's service area. The company's program remains on track to complete an additional 1,000 miles of tree-trimming work by the end of the year.

"Proactive tree-trimming work undoubtedly helps to improve service reliability for our customers and has remained part of our essential utility service during the current coronavirus health emergency," said Mark Jones, regional president of The Illuminating Company. "In order to keep electricity flowing safely and reliably, we have a responsibility to protect the lines that deliver it to homes and businesses across our region."

Tree trimming is done on a four-year cycle. The work includes inspecting vegetation near power lines to ensure trees are pruned to preserve the health of the tree, while also maintaining safe clearances. Trees that present a danger or are diseased may be removed.

This year, the work is being conducted in the following communities:

• Ashtabula Township, Avon Lake, Bay Village, Beachwood, Brecksville, Bedford, Bratenahl, Claridon Township, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Eastlake, Euclid, Fairport Village, Gates Mills, Geneva, Geneva Township, Grand River, Hambden Township, Harpersfield Township, Highland Heights, Hunting Valley, Huntsburg Township, Kirtland, Lakewood, Madison Township, Mayfield, Heights, Mentor, Middlefield Township, Newburgh Heights, Oakwood, Painesville Township, Parma, Richmond Heights, Shaker Heights, Thompson Township, Walton Hills, Westlake, Willoughby, Willoughby Hills, Willowick and Woodmere

As part of its notification process, The Illuminating Company works with municipalities to inform them of tree trimming schedules. In addition, customers living in areas along company rights-of-way also are notified prior to vegetation management work being done.

The Illuminating Company's vegetation management work is conducted by certified forestry experts under the company's direction, including Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Davey Tree Expert Company, PennLine Services and Townsend Tree Service.

The Illuminating Company serves more than 750,000 customers across Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. Follow The Illuminating Company on Twitter @IlluminatingCo and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IlluminatingCo.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

Editor's Note: Photos of workers using bucket trucks to trim trees near FirstEnergy power lines are available for download on Flickr. A video explaining and demonstrating tree-trimming work can be found on FirstEnergy's YouTube channel.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.