JCP&L Crews Making Progress Restoring Service to Customers Following Severe Thunderstorms

Storms caused gusts exceeding 70 MPH that toppled trees, damaged electric system

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Jul 07, 2021, 15:55 ET

MORRISTOWN, N.J., July 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric service has been restored to more than 111,000 Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) customers who lost power last evening following damaging thunderstorms that swept through the northern and central parts of the state. Crews are working around the clock to assess damage and restore service to approximately 21,000 customers who remain without power as of 12:30 p.m. today, mostly in the hardest-hit areas of Sussex, Morris, Monmouth, Ocean, Hunterdon and Warren counties.

JCP&L crews are addressing more than 460 safety hazards and 105 road closures while evaluating damage and isolating equipment to enable repairs. Nearly 200 additional workers from JCP&L's sister utilities will be arriving today to assist the more than 270 JCP&L employees and contractors restoring power after the storm.

"Powerful winds reaching speeds of more than 65 mph, along with lightning and more than 3 inches of rain in some places, brought down trees and debris that damaged JCP&L's utility poles and equipment and caused numerous power outages. We will work around the clock and deploy additional resources as necessary until all customers have had service restored," said Jim Fakult, president of JCP&L. "At the same time, we have our eye on Tropical Storm Elsa and are preparing for any potential impacts later in the week. In particular, we're taking proactive steps to install barriers and other preventive equipment at substations susceptible to flooding."

Due to the extent of damage from yesterday's storm, restoration activities are expected continue through the week. The following estimated restoration times have been established for JCP&L customers that were affected by these storms:

Central New Jersey:

Monmouth County: 99.3% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today, with the remaining by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, July 8)
Ocean County: 98.7% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today, with the remaining by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow
Burlington County: 99.8% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today, with the remaining by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow
Middlesex County: 99.8% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today, with the remaining by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow

Northern New Jersey:

Hunterdon County: 79.9% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today; 99.2% by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow
Morris County: 97.7% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today; 99.7% by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow
Passaic County: 93.7% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today; 99.5% by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow
Somerset County: 90.5% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today, with the remaining by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow
Sussex County: 93.8% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today; 99.3% by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow
Union County: 90.7% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today, with the remaining by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow
Warren County: 97.1% of customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today; 99.4% by 11:30 p.m. tomorrow

The remaining less than one percent of customers will have service restored by 11:30 p.m. Friday, July 9.

Customer-specific restoration estimates will be set as damage is assessed and repair schedules established. For updates, please login to your utility account, call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) or visit www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.

After local power lines are repaired and put back in service, damage to individual customer service wires may become apparent. Customers are reminded that if their neighbor's power is on and theirs is not, the problem may be isolated to their individual service, and service to the neighbor could be fed from a different circuit. Customers are encouraged to report such problems at any time during the restoration process.

During severe weather, customers who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the "Report Outage" link on www.firstenergycorp.com. Customers should immediately report downed wires by calling 9-1-1. Customers should never go near a downed wire even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris.

Customers are reminded to never use a portable generator inside the house or a closed garage in the event of a power outage. Proper generators should be selected and installed by a qualified electrician. When operating a generator, the power coming into the home should always be disconnected. Otherwise, power from the generator could be sent back onto the utility lines, creating a hazardous situation for utility workers.

For updated information on the company's current outages, JCP&L's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.

JCP&L customers also can subscribe to email and text message alert notifications to receive weather alerts in advance of major storms, and updates on scheduled or extended power outages. More information about these communications tools is available online at www.firstenergycorp.com/connect.

JCP&L is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE). JCP&L serves 1.1 million New Jersey customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL or online at www.jcp-l.com.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp or online at www.firstenergycorp.com.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.