Exhibits 5 and 23(a)


                             November 5, 2001

FirstEnergy Corp.
76 South Main Street
Akron, Ohio  44308

     Re:  Registration Statement on Form S-8 of FirstEnergy Corp.
          Relating to the Issuance of Shares of Common Stock under the
          GPU, Inc. 1990 Stock Plan for Employees of GPU, Inc. and
          Subsidiaries, the Deferred Stock Unit Plan for Outside
          Directors of GPU, Inc. and the GPU, Inc. Stock Option and
          Restricted Stock Plan for MYR Group Inc. Employees
          (collectively, the "Plans")

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I have acted as Vice President and General Counsel to FirstEnergy
Corp., an Ohio corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the
preparation of a registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration
Statement") to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), relating to the offering of up to 1,730,000 shares
(the "Shares") of the Company's Common Stock, par value $0.10 per
share, to be issued pursuant to the provisions of the Plans.  I, or
the attorneys under my supervision and control upon whom I have
relied, have examined such records, documents, statutes and decisions
as I or they have deemed relevant in rendering this opinion.

     Based on the foregoing, I am of the opinion that when:

          (a)  the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and of
     State securities or "blue sky" laws shall have been complied
with,
     and

          (b)  the Company's Board of Directors shall have duly
     authorized the issuance of the Shares, and

          (c)  the Shares have been duly issued and paid for in an
     amount not less than par value of $0.10 per share,

the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.






     I hereby consent to the use of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the
Registration Statement.  In giving such opinion, I do not thereby
admit that I am acting within the category of persons whose consent is
required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules or
regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                              Very truly yours,

                              /s/ Leila L. Vespoli, Esq.

                              Leila L. Vespoli, Esq.



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