FirstEnergy Corp. utilities have sent 210 employees -- including 77 line crews -- to the Louisville, Kentucky, and Marietta, Ohio, areas to help restore electrical service to those affected by the snow and ice storms that hit the Midwest earlier this week.

The company's mutual assistance effort includes 25 crews from Ohio Edison/Pennsylvania Power and 10 crews from Toledo Edison working in American Electric Power's southern Ohio service territory; and 25 crews from Pennsylvania Electric Company and 17 crews from Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. working in Louisville Gas and Electric Co.'s service territory around Louisville.

"Our industry has a long-standing tradition of working together to restore electrical service after severe weather hits," said Richard R. Grigg, executive vice president & president, FirstEnergy Utilities. "When it comes to storm restoration work, FirstEnergy employees have shown time and time again that they are some of the best in the business."

FirstEnergy is a member of multiple electric utility mutual-assistance groups that work cooperatively to restore service to customers when major storms occur. In the past, FirstEnergy and its employees have been honored by the Edison Electric Institute with its "Emergency Assistance Award" for the mutual assistance the company has provided during winter and summer storms.