Ohio Edison to suspend streetlight service in some
areas to deter flies from gathering
AKRON,
Ohio, June 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As
communities along Lake Erie
prepare for the mass arrival of mayflies this summer, FirstEnergy
Corp. (NYSE: FE) electric company Ohio Edison is proactively
working with local municipalities to keep roads along the lakeshore
safe by temporarily turning off streetlights to deter swarms of the
insects. Mayflies are attracted to streetlights and can create
hazardous driving conditions when large numbers accumulate along
roads and bridges near the lights.
The annual emergence of the mayflies typically comes in late
June and can last until September. In preparation for their
arrival, Ohio Edison has started to suspend streetlight service
along several roads in Port
Clinton, Marblehead and
Erie Township and will continue
doing so over the next few weeks. The company will resume
streetlight service once the hatching season ends.
Because the mayfly population has spiked along Lake Erie over the past decade, Ohio Edison
partners with these lakeshore communities each summer to keep
motorists and bikers safe during the mayfly season.
Nick Katsaros, External
Affairs Consultant in FirstEnergy's Lake Erie Service
Area: "Mayflies create a safety issue because their
carcasses contain an oily substance that makes the surfaces they
coat very slick, especially when it rains. By turning off the
streetlights near the lake over the next few months, we can help
discourage thousands, even millions, of mayflies from congregating
near them."
Mayflies start their lives deep in the mud of Lake Erie and are especially sensitive to
depleted oxygen levels. When the insects emerge from the water as
adults, they live between 24 and 72 hours, which is why their
hatching season is short.
"We realize our streetlight service is very important to the
communities we serve, and their safety is always our top priority,"
said Katsaros. "We look forward to resuming streetlight service in
the impacted areas once it is safe to do so."
Pedestrians and bikers are reminded to use extra caution when
traveling along unlit roads this summer. They are urged to always
use sidewalks and crosswalks and wear bright clothing or flashing
devices to alert drivers of their presence. Drivers are reminded to
reduce their speed in unlit areas and be on the lookout for people
walking or biking in the area.
If a customer notices a streetlight or outdoor area light is out
in their community unintentionally, they are encouraged to report
it to Ohio Edison online
at firstenergycorp.com/lightingproblem or by calling
1-800-633-4766.
Ohio Edison serves more than 1
million customers across 34 Ohio
counties. Follow Ohio Edison on X, formerly known as
Twitter, @OhioEdison and on Facebook at
facebook.com/OhioEdison.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving customers in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West
Virginia, Maryland and
New York. The company's
transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of
transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Follow FirstEnergy online
at firstenergycorp.com and on
X @FirstEnergyCorp.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.