SOMERSET COUNTY, N.J. — More than $3 million in electric system upgrades by Jersey Central Power & Light have reduced power outages and improved restoration times for customers in parts of Somerset County, the utility announced.
According to JCP&L, customers in Bedminster, Bernards and Bernardsville are experiencing fewer outages and faster service restoration following infrastructure improvements designed to strengthen the electric grid.
“Less time without power means more time for family activities, for stores to sell their goods and for local businesses to drive economic growth. Smart, targeted investments like these help improve reliability in ways customers can see and feel. They grew out of ideas from our employees, who know these neighborhoods and the improvements customers need most,” said Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy President of New Jersey.
In The Hills neighborhood of Bedminster and Bernards, where steep terrain and aging equipment had contributed to frequent outages, JCP&L completed several upgrades, including replacing underground and overhead power lines, expanding tree trimming efforts, installing automated equipment to isolate outages and adding sectionalizing devices that allow crews to reroute electricity while repairs are made.
The utility said those improvements have reduced outages by 52% and total outage time by 65% in the Upper Hills section. In the Lower Hills section, outages have decreased by 38%, while total outage time has been reduced by 56%.
In Bernardsville, JCP&L said outages have declined by 32% and restoration times have improved by 62% following the replacement of power lines damaged by a 2023 tornado. The utility rebuilt the lines with stronger equipment and relocated them to a more accessible area, allowing crews to respond more quickly during future outages.
The Somerset County projects are part of JCP&L’s broader effort to improve reliability across New Jersey. The utility invested more than $1 billion in capital improvements last year and plans to invest an additional $6.9 billion in the state through 2030 as part of FirstEnergy’s $36 billion Energize365 investment program.
