NEW JERSEY — U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-7th District, is demanding answers from PSE&G and Jersey Central Power & Light following widespread power outages that left thousands of New Jersey residents without electricity during last weekend’s severe storms and extreme heat.
Kean announced Tuesday that he sent a letter to the presidents of both utilities seeking an explanation for the lengthy restoration efforts and asking what steps the companies took to prepare for the severe weather.
In the letter, Kean requested details on why power restoration took so long, what preparations were made ahead of the heat wave and thunderstorms, and what measures the utilities plan to implement to reduce the impact of future outages.
According to Kean’s office, severe thunderstorms over the weekend brought down trees and branches, prompted flood warnings, pushed temperatures above 100 degrees and caused widespread power outages across the state. The office also said the combined effects of the storms and extreme heat resulted in 29 fatalities.
“New Jerseyans are shouldering an increasingly unsustainable financial burden from rising electric costs – facing a nearly 79% increase over the last 20 years with a 16.9% increase between 2024 and 2025 alone – yet New Jersey’s power grid continues to fail miserably,” Kean wrote. “The people of New Jersey deserve reliable power at affordable prices. On behalf of the thousands who endured lengthy outages, I ask that you immediately take action to remedy these failures.”
Kean, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he has supported legislation aimed at improving grid reliability, including the GRID Power Act, which he said would help maintain electric service during capacity shortages and expand access to dependable energy sources.
His office also noted that eight New Jersey power plants have closed over the past decade, arguing that greater flexibility is needed to prioritize reliable energy projects that provide affordable and resilient power to homes and businesses.
