FirstEnergy’s Illuminating Co. Deploys 55-Ton Transformer in $3.7 Million Lakewood Reliability Upgrade
FE•FirstEnergy’s Illuminating Co. delivered a 55-ton transformer from Roanoke to Lakewood Substation, starting a $3.7 million reliability upgrade for nearly 11,000 customers. A second identical unit arrives late June and both transformers are expected to cut outage durations, add backup capacity and strengthen grid flexibility by early next year.
1. Transformer Delivery to Lakewood
Illuminating Co. transported a 55-ton, $1.85 million transformer from Roanoke, VA, to Lakewood Substation over 500 miles in five days, lifting it into place by crane. A second identical unit is scheduled to arrive the week of June 29 and will be staged for installation later this summer.
2. Reliability Improvements
Once both transformers are installed, the substation’s backup capacity and load-shifting options will increase, reducing outage durations and enabling faster service restoration for nearly 11,000 customers in Lakewood and West Cleveland.
3. Broader Infrastructure Upgrades
These installations are part of a $3.7 million effort that includes breaker replacements, neighborhood pole equipment upgrades, smart meter installations and proactive tree trimming, which collectively cut customer outage time by 98% in December 2025 and reduced local outage durations by 25%.
4. Project Timeline and Next Steps
The first transformer is expected to be energized later this year, with the second online by early next year. Mobile substation units will maintain service during construction until both new transformers are fully operational.
