AKRON, Ohio, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bird lovers are invited to use Twitter to help name eight peregrine falcon chicks hatched at FirstEnergy Corp.'s (NYSE: [ FE ]) Lake Shore Plant in Cleveland, Ohio, and Eastlake Plant in Eastlake, Ohio.

Tweet your best falcon name ideas to @FirstEnergyCorp and include the hashtag #fefalcons by noon on Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Company representatives will review public submissions as well as suggestions from FirstEnergy employees. The best names will be presented to Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) officials who will pick the winners and bestow names on the chicks when they are banded with identification tags. The three Lake Shore falcon chicks will be banded on Thursday, May 17, while banding of the five Eastlake chicks is expected later this month.

Since 2005, nearly 40 peregrine falcon chicks have been born at three FirstEnergy Lake Erie power plants – Lake Shore, Eastlake and the Bay Shore plant in Oregon, Ohio– and banded by ODNR. FirstEnergy employees traditionally have suggested the names for these falcon chicks. Notable names have included Chayton, the Soiux Indian word for falcon; Gavin, a Welsh name meaning "white hawk of battle;" Hopper, named for a power plant's coal bins; and Effie, after the FirstEnergy abbreviation "FE." Other names have carried an electricity theme, including Charger, Breaker and Voltaire. Last year, one of the falcons was named "Goddard" to honor long-time Cleveland FOX8 television meteorologist Dick Goddard, a noted animal lover.

Capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 mph, the peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world. Once classified as an endangered species, these magnificent birds of prey are increasing in population, with FirstEnergy's Lake Erie power plants hosting special nesting boxes that encourage this raptor renaissance.

Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter at @FirstEnergyCorp, and learn more about our falcon family at [ www.firstenergycorp.com/newsroom ].

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies comprise one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems. Its diverse generating fleet features non-emitting nuclear, scrubbed baseload coal, natural gas, hydro, and pumped-storage hydro and other renewables, and has a total generating capacity of nearly 23,000 megawatts.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

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FirstEnergy Invites Public to Name Peregrine Falcon Chicks Born at Power Plants

FirstEnergy Invites Public to Name Peregrine Falcon Chicks Born at Power Plants

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