FirstEnergy Commits to Repair Akron Streetlight Faults
The utility company plans to fix underground electrical faults in the Merriman Hills neighborhood within 30 days.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Utilities
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FirstEnergy representatives promised to address persistent streetlight outages in Akron after meeting with local officials to discuss repair backlogs. Crews will focus on fixing underground wire faults that have left multiple neighborhood streets in the dark.
Why it matters
Outages are driven by damaged underground burial lines and a significant backlog of service requests exacerbated by 28 major storms in 2026. The repairs aim to restore safety and functionality to neighborhood infrastructure.
FirstEnergy owns 23,000 streetlights in Akron, while the city manages 2,000 units. A recently established infrastructure upgrade deal is valued at $154,000.
The players
FirstEnergy
This electric utility company owns the majority of streetlights in Akron and is responsible for maintaining the power grid infrastructure.
Thompson Electric
This firm is the contractor assigned by the utility to manage the specialized underground electrical repairs in the impacted neighborhood.
The details
Outages in the Merriman Hills area, including Merriman, Palisades, and Malvern roads, stem from underground lines cut by construction work and tree planting. Thompson Electric will lead the repairs, while crews also replace aging streetlight heads.
Timeline
October 24, 2026: Crews begin replacing streetlight heads.
October 26, 2026: Thompson Electric begins repairing underground faults.
Within 30 days: Expected completion of underground fault repairs in Merriman Hills.
Market Landscape
The repair backlog follows a pattern set by the system-wide strain caused by the 28 major storms reported in 2026. This highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining aging municipal infrastructure against intensifying weather cycles.
Residents in Merriman Hills should see restored lighting within the next month as contractors address the faulty underground lines. Homeowners can continue to track repair progress or report issues through the city's official reporting channels.
The takeaway
Reliable neighborhood lighting depends on both timely utility maintenance and careful coordination during local construction projects. Residents can assist the process by promptly reporting outages through official municipal channels.
Further reading
For additional information on infrastructure services, visit the Utilities section.
More information
To report ongoing issues, use the city streetlight outage submission form.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Signal Akron.
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