Exhibit (c) 2
FirstEnergy Corp. News Release
October 29, 2001


       Notice to GPU Shareholders of Exchange Ratio and Election Deadline

                         SEC Approves FirstEnergy Merger


October 29, 2001 - H. Peter Burg, FirstEnergy Corp. chairman and chief executive
officer,  announced  that today's  approval by the U.S.  Securities and Exchange
Commission  (SEC)  completes the regulatory  approval  process for the merger of
Akron,  Ohio-based FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) and Morristown,  New Jersey-based GPU,
Inc., and that FirstEnergy  will begin combined  operations of both companies on
November 7.

"We are  pleased to have  completed  the complex  approval  process and now look
forward to providing the many benefits of our merger to customers,  shareholders
and employees,"  said Mr. Burg. "As the nation's  fourth largest  investor-owned
electric system, FirstEnergy will be even better positioned to provide customers
with  reliable  and  affordable  electricity  and a  variety  of  energy-related
services,  to enhance the value of our  shareholders'  investment,  and to offer
expanded career  opportunities for more employees than would have otherwise been
possible."

Under the terms of the Merger Agreement,  GPU shareholders may elect to receive,
for each  share of GPU  common  stock  that they own,  either  $36.50 in cash or
shares of FirstEnergy  common stock. The number of FirstEnergy shares that a GPU
shareholder  will receive in exchange  for a GPU share  depends upon the average
closing price of FirstEnergy  common stock over a pre-determined  20-day trading
period,  but is limited to 1.2318  shares if that  average  price is $29.6313 or
higher.  With the November 7, 2001,  merger  effective  date, the 20-day trading
period ended on October 29, 2001,  and resulted in an average  closing  price of
$35.67. Consequently,  GPU shareholders electing FirstEnergy shares will receive
1.2318  shares of  FirstEnergy  common  stock for each share of GPU common stock
that they own. The elections by GPU shareholders are subject to proration if the
total elections would result in more than one-half of the GPU common stock being
exchanged for either cash or FirstEnergy  shares. As a result,  GPU shareholders
may  receive  a  combination  of cash or  shares  of  FirstEnergy  common  stock
different from their election.

The forms of election  of GPU  shareholders  must be  received  by the  Exchange
Agent, Mellon Investor Services, by the election deadline,  which is 5 p.m., New
York City time, on November 6, 2001. If shareholders  fail to submit their forms
of election by the election deadline, they lose their right to make an election,
and the type of  merger  consideration  they  will  receive  --  either  cash or
FirstEnergy  shares or both -- will be  determined  under the  provisions of the
Merger Agreement.  Any questions regarding the merger exchange process should be
directed to the Exchange Agent, Mellon Investor Services, at 1-800-279-1228.

The merger  received nine  regulatory  approvals in addition to that of the SEC,
including  the Federal  Energy  Regulatory  Commission  and  Nuclear  Regulatory
Commission  in  March,  New York  State  Public  Service  Commission  in  April,
Pennsylvania  Public Utility  Commission in June, and New Jersey Board of Public
Utilities  in  September.   In  November  2000,  both  companies'   shareholders
overwhelmingly approved the merger, which was announced on August 8, 2000.






FirstEnergy, which will be a registered utility holding company headquartered in
Akron,  Ohio,  will  continue  trading  its  common  stock on the New York Stock
Exchange under the ticker symbol FE. Its various  subsidiaries  will have annual
revenues of more than $12  billion,  and  electric  sales of  approximately  124
billion  kilowatt-hours.  Its seven electric utility operating companies -- Ohio
Edison,  The  Illuminating   Company,   Toledo  Edison,   Metropolitan   Edison,
Pennsylvania  Electric,  Pennsylvania Power, and Jersey Central Power & Light --
serve 4.3 million customers in a 36,100-square-mile  service area that stretches
from the Ohio-Indiana border to the New Jersey shore.

FirstEnergy  subsidiaries  and  affiliates  provide a wide  range of energy  and
energy-related  products and  services,  including  the  generation  and sale of
electricity; exploration and production of oil and natural gas; transmission and
marketing  of  natural  gas;   mechanical   and   electrical   contracting   and
construction; energy management; telecommunications; and e-commerce.