 The blackouts caused huge disruption |
FirstEnergy, the leading candidate to take the blame for the blackout that hit 50 million Americans and Canadians last month, is being investigated by a US watchdog. The US Securities and Exchange Commission has requested data on the utilities' recent restatement of financial results for 2002, the company confirmed.
"We're going to co-operate on a voluntary basis and in a timely manner," a spokeswoman for FirstEnergy told BBC News Online.
The company, which owns electric utilities in three states, last month restated its results for 2002 and the first quarter of 2003.
'Typographical errors'
The restatements were made necessary by changes in how ithe company accounts for costs related to Ohio's move towards a competitive energy market.
On Thursday the company revised three regulatory filings, citing tens of millions of dollars in "typographical and minor computational errors".
FirstEnergy's transmission lines have been cited as a possible source of the massive 14 August blackout.
The company was condemned by members of Congress for its actions during the blackout.
FirstEnergy has also suffered from debt issues and safety issues at its Davis-Besse nuclear power station, reports Reuters news agency.
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