Jersey Central Power & Light upgrading Morristown substation to reduce power outages
MORRISTOWN, NJ (Morris County) – FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) is upgrading a transmission substation in Morristown to help prevent or minimize the impact of power outages caused by flooding, particularly during hurricane season.
The $78 million project will raise equipment within the facility to keep it above floodwaters, enhancing service reliability for 23,000 JCP&L customers in northern New Jersey. The Whippany River, which runs along the northeastern border of the property, has become more flood prone in recent years.
“This project is a major undertaking that will help ensure that our customers continue to receive the safe, reliable service they expect from us even as our state sees increasing impacts from Mother Nature. We appreciate the support we’ve received from local officials as we work to make these vital upgrades to a historic facility,” said Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy’s President, New Jersey.
The site, originally purchased in 1928, now sits along a busy residential and commercial thoroughfare. As part of this project, JCP&L has agreed to beautify the property’s exterior with shade trees, ornamental trees, decorative pavers and sculptural benches. A screening wall will provide an additional visual barrier, as well as enhanced security around substation equipment, which required a variance from the town for height restrictions. Work is expected to be completed by December 2025.
The substation functions as a central point for providing local distribution service to nearby neighborhoods and businesses. Additionally, it plays a significant role in connecting other substations in northern New Jersey, as the Morristown facility’s high-voltage lines supply power that is later converted for distribution to neighborhood power lines at those locations.
JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren.
