FirstEnergy’s Green Teams—volunteer groups of nearly 800 employees—planted more than 30,000 trees across its six-state service territory in 2025, exceeding the company’s annual goal. Since the initiative launched in 2020, these teams have put 131,000 native species such as red maple, hickory, oak and dogwood into the ground through 419 distinct partnerships with parks, schools and local nonprofits. In 2025 alone, employees contributed 3,438 volunteer hours across 151 events, more than half of which served underserved communities. By state: Ohio saw nearly 14,000 trees planted by 440 employees at 70 events; Pennsylvania received over 6,000 trees from 62 volunteers at 16 events; West Virginia and Maryland combined for more than 7,000 trees planted by 227 employees at 50 events; and New Jersey added over 2,000 trees via 68 volunteers at 15 events. The company also established 26 community gardens totaling 113,289 square feet to support pollinators and broaden ecological impact. FirstEnergy plans to donate and plant at least 26,000 trees in 2026, focusing on strategic, power-line-safe locations to enhance air quality, watershed health, shade coverage and community well-being.

On February 4, 2026, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company (FE PA) filed its 2027–2031 Default Service Plan with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Serving more than two million customers under the Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power and West Penn Power brands, FE PA proposes to continue procuring generation through competitive auctions run by CRA International, holding three auctions in 2027 (January, April, November) and two each year from 2028 through 2031. Electricity supply accounts for roughly 60% of a typical Pennsylvania customer’s bill, so the plan introduces safeguards to minimize overpayments: residential customers ending fixed-term contracts would default back to FE PA’s standard rate unless they actively choose otherwise; variable-rate customers would need quarterly confirmation to remain on non-utility plans; and supplier guidelines would cap pre-payment subsidies, reducing the risk of cost recovery through unpaid charges. The proposal also shortens peak hours in FE PA’s Time-of-Use program from 2–9 p.m. to 3–7 p.m., aiming to shift consumption off peak and lower bills. A PaPUC ruling is expected by year-end 2026.

Potomac Edison, a FirstEnergy subsidiary, secured Maryland Public Service Commission approval for an $11.1 million pilot program launching in early 2026 to support up to 28 zero-emission school buses. Under Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act, school systems must adopt only electric vehicles; Potomac Edison will cover the approximate $250,000 price differential per bus versus diesel, as well as all charging infrastructure and necessary electrical upgrades. Participating districts will receive full technical and administrative assistance—from site selection to personnel training—and access to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, allowing stored battery energy to flow back to the grid during non-operational hours to bolster reliability. The five-year program runs until funds are exhausted and serves districts across Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery and Washington counties, benefiting approximately 285,000 customers in Potomac Edison’s Maryland territory.