JCPL Message on Working to Restore Power Outages

Published on February 25, 2019

Crews Continue to Make Repairs Following Widespread Wind Storm

Service has been restored to more than 658,900 FirstEnergy Corp. (JCP&L in New Jersey) customers who lost power due to a powerful wind storm that continues to sweep through the Mid-Atlantic region.

Sustained winds of nearly 40 mph, coupled with gusts exceeding 60 mph, have been battering eastern parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey today.(JPG, 32KB)

Since the storm began, repairs have been made at hundreds of locations, and crews are working around the clock to assess damage and restore service to approximately 202,700 customers who remain without power in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey.

We've seen thousands of instances of downed wires, broken poles and crossarms, and damaged transformers caused by trees and other debris contacting our electrical equipment, said Samuel L. Belcher, senior vice president and president of FirstEnergy Utilities. Though repair work can be slowed by the continued high winds and numerous road closures, we will continue to work around the clock to safely make repairs and deploy resources as needed until power to all customers has been restored.

Current company updates as of 1:30 p.m. today include:

JCP&L: Approximately 110,200 customers in northern and central New Jersey have lost power due to the storm, and 42,700 remain without service. Additional outages could occur today as the winds move through the area. Estimated restoration times will be established as damage assessment progresses.

For updated information on the company's current outages, FirstEnergy's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.

Customers who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the Report Outage link on www.firstenergycorp.com.

Customers should immediately report downed wires to their utility or their local police or fire department. Customers should never go near a downed power line, even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be taken in areas where downed wires may be tangled in downed tree branches or other debris.