Summary (tl;dr)

Widespread power outages have impacted hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across Ohio, particularly in the central and north-central regions, due to powerful winds that swept through the state on Friday, March 13, 2026. Utility companies like AEP Ohio, Ohio Edison, and AES Ohio are working to restore service, but high winds and extensive damage are prolonging efforts.

Essential Background

Ohio is served by several major electric utility providers, including American Electric Power (AEP) Ohio, FirstEnergy (which includes Ohio Edison and The Illuminating Company), and AES Ohio (formerly Dayton Power & Light). Power outages are a recurring issue in the region, often triggered by severe weather events such as strong winds, thunderstorms, or winter storms, which can cause trees to fall on power lines or damage utility infrastructure. These companies maintain outage maps and reporting systems to communicate with customers and coordinate restoration efforts.

The Full Story

Beginning on Friday, March 13, 2026, a significant weather event involving powerful winds, with gusts reaching 60-70 mph, caused extensive damage across central and north-central Ohio, leading to widespread power outages. As of late Friday and early Saturday, over 380,000 customers across the state were without electricity. AEP Ohio reported that approximately 190,000 customers were without power, down from a peak of over 250,000. FirstEnergy, including Ohio Edison, saw major outages affecting around 125,000 customers, with about 11,000 in Richland County alone. AES Ohio also reported approximately 16,040 customers without power.

The high winds caused numerous downed trees and power lines, making travel hazardous and impacting critical infrastructure such as the Franklin County courthouse and Tanger Outlets. Utility crews are working tirelessly to assess the damage and restore power; however, the ongoing strong winds (exceeding 40 mph) are making it unsafe to use bucket trucks, which is significantly delaying repair efforts. Restoration is expected to be a multi-day process for some affected areas.

Why It Matters

The widespread power outages significantly disrupt daily life for hundreds of thousands of Ohio residents, impacting homes, businesses, and essential services. Extended outages pose safety risks, especially for those dependent on electricity for medical equipment, and can lead to financial losses for businesses. The challenge of restoring power during severe weather highlights the vulnerability of the power grid to environmental factors and underscores the importance of public awareness and preparedness for such events. The trending keywords reflect the urgent need for information on outage status, restoration times, and safety guidelines from affected communities.

Geographic Location

• Richland County, Ohio, United States (major power outages affecting AEP Ohio and Ohio Edison customers)
• Ashland County, Ohio, United States (high wind warning and power outages)
• Knox County, Ohio, United States (high wind warning and power outages)
• Morrow County, Ohio, United States (high wind warning and power outages)
• Crawford County, Ohio, United States (high wind warning and power outages)
• Franklin County, Ohio, United States (tens of thousands of AEP Ohio customers without power, including courthouse and businesses)
• Licking County, Ohio, United States (power outages affecting AEP Ohio customers)
• Delaware County, Ohio, United States (power outages affecting AEP Ohio customers, road closures, and structural damage)
• Fairfield County, Ohio, United States (power outages affecting AEP Ohio and South Central Power customers)
• Perry County, Ohio, United States (power outages affecting AEP Ohio and South Central Power customers)
• Allen County, Ohio, United States (nearly 6,900 AEP Ohio customers without power, school early release)
• Putnam County, Ohio, United States (power outages affecting AEP Ohio customers)
• Auglaize County, Ohio, United States (power outages due to fallen tree on power line)
• Greene County, Ohio, United States (most outages for AES Ohio)
• Clark County, Ohio, United States (highest percentage of AES Ohio customers without power)
• Montgomery County, Ohio, United States (approximately 19,000 AES Ohio customers without power)