NEW JERSEY — Jersey Central Power & Light is preparing for a developing nor’easter that could bring challenging conditions and power outages to New Jersey.
JCP&L said forecasters, including FirstEnergy’s in-house meteorologists, are monitoring the storm as it develops along the eastern U.S. coast.
The utility has activated its storm response plan and is positioning additional crews and resources throughout its service territory ahead of the storm. JCP&L said it will have 900 line workers on-site Friday, with that number increasing to 1,200 Saturday.
Line workers, forestry teams, substation personnel and support staff are being pre-positioned and will be ready to respond if outages occur.
“No matter where the storm ultimately tracks, we’re taking proactive steps now so we can restore power as safely and quickly as possible should customers experience outages,” JCP&L said.
The utility said storm preparation is a year-round effort and includes investments to install stronger poles and power lines, expand smart technology designed to isolate outages and restore customers faster, and proactively trim trees and manage vegetation around power lines.
Depending on the storm’s path, JCP&L said power outages are possible. Customers are encouraged to sign up for outage alerts and text messaging, assemble an emergency kit and know how to report an outage.
Following a storm, crews first address hazards such as downed power lines, fallen trees and blocked roads before assessing damage and beginning repairs. Restoration efforts then focus on repairing high-voltage lines, restoring service to critical public facilities, addressing outages affecting the largest number of customers and repairing localized outages.
JCP&L is also reminding customers to stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and anything they may be touching and to call 911 to report downed lines. People should also stay out of floodwater and keep generators outdoors.
The utility recommends using flashlights or battery-powered lanterns instead of candles during an outage and warns against using gas stoves, grills or outdoor heaters for indoor heat because they can produce deadly carbon monoxide gas.
“If this storm brings challenging conditions, please know our teams will be working around the clock to keep customers informed and restore service as safely and quickly as possible,” JCP&L said.
