Press Release

PUC Doubles Fines in Settlement with FirstEnergy Pennsylvania over Response to Downed Wires in Washington County

Published on 8/14/2025

Filed under: Electric

Settlement includes $25,000 Civil Penalty and Enhancements in Procedures and Training for Responses to Downed Power Lines

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today voted to modify and approved a settlement with FirstEnergy Pennsylvania (FirstEnergy) – West Penn Power Division – resolving an informal investigation by the PUC’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) into the utility’s response to a June 2021 storm event in Washington County.

The Commission voted 4-1 to approve a joint motion from PUC Chairman Stephen M. DeFrank and Commissioner Kathryn L. Zerfuss modifying a joint settlement. The proceeding stemmed from findings by I&E related to a downed energized power line that impacted residents following a windstorm that damaged trees and electric infrastructure in the West Penn service territory.

The civil penalty initially proposed in the settlement has been doubled from $12,500 to $25,000. This increase, according to the joint motion, is due to concerns about the utility's failure to properly communicate the serious nature of a downed wire to its crews and to adequately inform customers about response and repair efforts. Past incidents with FirstEnergy involving downed wires also contributed to this decision.

The investigation by I&E focused on allegations that FirstEnergy failed to follow its own procedures for responding to reports of downed wires, including an energized primary line that came to rest on a residential carport roof. The affected residents were unable to safely evacuate and received no on-site response from utility personnel after contacting 911 and the utility.

I&E’s findings included concerns about hazard responder training, communication breakdowns, and procedural lapses that could have resulted in serious injury or death.

Key terms of the modified settlement include:

• FirstEnergy will pay a $25,000 civil penalty, which is not tax deductible and cannot be recovered from ratepayers.
  
  
• Strengthening internal procedures for hazard response and downed wire reporting.
  
  
• Ensuring that supervisors verify line down reports and make areas safe from public contact.
  
  
• Enhancing training for hazard responder personnel related to line down protocols.

Given the modifications to the proposed settlement, both I&E and FirstEnergy will have 20 days to file notice seeking withdrawal from the settlement.  Absent any notice of withdrawal, the modified settlement will be approved.

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Docket No.: M-2024-3030738

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov