On October 9, 2026, crews began drilling and laying new fiber optic lines in the Mills Creek neighborhood of North Ridgeville, Ohio. Within days, households started experiencing intermittent loss of electricity, turning what should have been a routine upgrade into a source of daily frustration.
The pattern of blackouts has been anything but random. Residents report that the power has been cut off more than five times across the city during the past couple of months, often for short intervals that nevertheless disrupt work, school and basic chores.
Mayor Keven Corcoran points to First Energy’s missed markings
Mayor Keven Corcoran issued an e-mail to city staff, stating plainly, “First Energy has not been fulfilling their obligations by locating and flagging their lines.” He added that this failure “has led to their lines being hit and disruption of service.” The mayor insists that the utility’s neglect, not the fiber contractors, is the root cause of the recurring outages.
First Energy’s spokesperson was contacted for comment. After several hours, the representative replied that she had “reached out to a few people and would get back to us as soon as she could,” leaving the community without a definitive answer.
Residents describe the disruption
Long-time Mills Creek resident Megan Masteron described a typical day: “Yesterday, it was a gorgeous day. It was 80 degrees out. Beautiful day and 9 a.m., bam! Out until 11. Then back on. And then off again from 1:30 to 2:30.” She summed up her feelings with a single word: “It’s maddening.“
Another neighbor, Michelle Bielozer echoed the sentiment, noting that “unfortunately it’s been something of a trend here.” She explained how the uncertainty interferes with employment: “It’s hard to explain to your job, sorry, I can’t really do what I’m supposed to be doing right now because I don’t have power.“
Both households stress that a simple corrective step—properly marking the underground utilities—could prevent further interruptions. “If we’re even a day late on our bills, we’re going to hear about it, so we should probably be letting them hear about it. Glad you’re here talking to the neighborhood,” Masteron added, urging accountability.
The spate of outages has forced many families to rearrange daily routines, postpone meals, and rely on backup generators where possible. The city has reportedly opened a dialogue with both the fiber contractor and First Energy, urging them to “ensure safety and limit disruptions to residents,” as phrased by the mayor’s office.
While officials promise continued pressure on the utility to locate and flag its underground assets, the immediate concern for Mills Creek homeowners remains: restoring reliable electricity while the fiber upgrade proceeds. The neighborhood hopes that the city’s intervention will translate into concrete action before the next unexpected blackout.
