The Illuminating Company Upgrades Lakewood Infrastructure

The installation at the Athens Avenue substation represents a $1.85 million investment for each of the two units being deployed. According to Torrence Hinton, President of FirstEnergy Ohio, these transformers provide the necessary voltage regulation to support the community's future energy demands. A second, identical unit is scheduled for delivery the week of June 29, with full activation planned for later this year.

Beyond simple capacity, the upgraded facility offers enhanced load-shifting flexibility, allowing crews to reroute power more efficiently during peak demand or emergency repairs. This infrastructure change complements a wider series of local reliability initiatives, including the replacement of four breakers and equipment upgrades across 167 utility poles since October 2024. The company reports that these combined efforts have already yielded results, citing a 98% reduction in total outage time for local customers in December 2025 compared to the previous year. To ensure continuity while the new hardware is integrated, a mobile substation remains active on-site.