NEW JERSEY – Thousands of Jersey Central Power & Light customers experienced fewer power outages last year as the utility reached the halfway point of its $95 million New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project, company officials said.
The multi-year initiative is aimed at strengthening and modernizing the electric system across JCP&L’s service area.
In parts of Morris and Monmouth counties, nearly 16,500 customers saw more than an 80% reduction in outages in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to the company. The improvements were attributed to upgrades made to local power lines targeted through the project.
“These improvements are keeping lights on more often and getting them back on faster when they do go out. We’re seeing real improvements, and we’re committed to making smart investments to bring that same level of reliability to even more communities as this work continues,” said Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy’s president for New Jersey.
To reduce the frequency and duration of outages, JCP&L said it is strengthening poles and wires to better withstand storms, moving certain overhead lines underground, installing automated equipment to detect problems and restore power more quickly, reconfiguring local circuits to limit the number of affected customers and increasing tree trimming to prevent vegetation-related outages.
The project includes upgrades to 18 circuits — groups of neighborhood power lines — across JCP&L’s territory. Work is underway on seven circuits, with three more beginning this month and six slated to start in early 2026.
Upcoming work includes more than seven miles of upgraded overhead lines and 1,000 feet of underground cable near the Glen Gardner substation in Hunterdon County, along with new transformers and devices designed to improve operational flexibility.
In southern Ocean County, crews plan to construct a new 4.3-mile power line along Route 9 and install additional automated devices to reduce the number of customers affected during outages.
In Warren County, upgrades to more than nine miles of power lines and new protective equipment are planned for customers served by the Blairstown substation.
The three projects are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year and are expected to improve reliability for nearly 10,000 customers.
The New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy’s broader investment plan to modernize its electric grid. The company has announced plans to invest $28 billion between 2025 and 2029 to strengthen infrastructure across its service area.
