Oct 29 (Reuters) - Utility firm FirstEnergy ( FE )

missed third-quarter profit estimates on Tuesday, hurt by higher

storm restoration expenses and lower tax benefits.

About 578,000 of FirstEnergy's ( FE ) customers were left without

power in August after severe storms swept across northeast Ohio,

Pennsylvania and New Jersey, causing hundreds of broken poles

and crossarms.

The company's total quarterly operating expenses rose 6.4%

to $3 billion from a year earlier.

The company said its earnings were also impacted by dilution

related to the sale of the 30% stake in FirstEnergy

Transmission, which was sold to Brookfield Super-Core

Infrastructure Partners in an all-cash deal of $3.5 billion.

FirstEnergy's ( FE ) electric distribution companies serve 6

million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West

Virginia, Maryland and New York.

The Akron, Ohio-based firm narrowed its current-year

adjusted earnings forecast to between $2.61 and $2.71 per share,

from $2.61 to $2.81, reflecting lower customer demand from mild

weather, lower distribution revenues in Ohio and higher storm

restoration costs in the third quarter.

The company reported an adjusted profit of 85 cents per

share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with analysts'

average estimate of 90 cents, according to LSEG.

The utility firm also increased its current-year capital

investment plan by $300 million to $4.6 billion.