Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., is actively working to reduce power outages caused by dead and diseased ash trees in New Jersey. The company has removed over 7,000 vulnerable ash trees in northern New Jersey so far this year, focusing on areas like Sussex County and parts of Warren County.
Doug Mokoid, President of FirstEnergy’s New Jersey operations, stated: “The devastating effects of the Emerald Ash Borer are scarring New Jersey’s environment and increasing the risk these dead and dying trees pose to our power lines and equipment. Proactive removal efforts are a vital part of ensuring that our customers continue to receive the safe and reliable electric service that they expect from us.”
The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect threatening ash trees across North America. It was first detected in New Jersey in 2014. According to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, about 9% of the state’s forested area, or 24.7 million ash trees, are at risk.
Since starting its mitigation efforts in 2017, JCP&L has removed more than 64,000 affected ash trees. Sussex, Warren, and Hunterdon counties have experienced significant activity with nearly 15,000 removals in Sussex and Warren counties alone.
These actions form part of JCP&L’s broader strategy for managing vegetation-related outages. Annually spending $32.4 million on tree trimming along power line rights-of-way hasn’t fully mitigated issues as most tree-related outages stem from outside these areas.
JCP&L also emphasizes environmental stewardship through initiatives like its Green Team volunteers planting over 2,500 trees this year across the state with species resilient to pests and disease.
The company serves approximately 1.1 million customers across several New Jersey counties including Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon among others.
FirstEnergy is committed to safety and reliability within its extensive electric systems serving multiple states including Ohio and Pennsylvania.
For further information or inquiries regarding their vegetation management efforts or potential risks posed by nearby trees visit their website or contact them directly.
