Thousands of residents across Cleveland and its inner-ring suburbs woke up in the dark Wednesday morning, as a widespread power outage cut service to homes, businesses and a slew of busy intersections just in time for the commute.
The blackout left traffic signals out and small businesses scrambling, while police stepped up patrols and utility crews fanned out to assess damage and begin repairs.
As reported by WKYC, FirstEnergy's outage data showed 8,424 customers without power in Cuyahoga County and 3,824 in neighboring Lake County. In all, that is more than 12,000 customers across the two counties. Outages were concentrated in Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights, with additional pockets reported in Eastlake and Willowick.
Restoration timeline and utility response
Per FirstEnergy's outage map, crews listed estimated restoration times between 8 and 10 a.m. Wednesday and said the repairs were complex enough to require additional resources. The utility reported that extra crews and equipment were being dispatched to affected areas and that restoration would move forward as quickly as safety and access allow.
Customers were urged to monitor the outage map for neighborhood-specific updates while crews continued working through the morning.
Shaker Heights police step in at intersections
Shaker Heights police told reporters the city was experiencing outages in the area of Lee Road and Parkland to Lee Road and South Park Boulevard, and near Fairhill Road and Kemper Road. Officers said police vehicles were powering several intersections while crews worked to restore service, according to WKYC.
Residents reported dark signals and slower-than-usual commutes during the morning rush as drivers navigated the powerless intersections.
How to report an outage and stay safe
Per FirstEnergy, customers should report outages by texting "OUT" to 544487, calling 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) or using the outage map to log a report. The company also reminds customers to stay away from downed lines.
If you see a downed wire, call 911 and avoid the area until crews confirm it is safe.
Officials urged patience as repairs progress and safety checks are completed. For the latest restoration updates, check the outage map or follow local news outlets.
