Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has initiated infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving electric reliability for customers in three Morris County communities. The project, which is part of JCP&L's New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project, is expected to be completed by October 2025. This initiative is a component of the company's rate review settlement approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in February.
The planned enhancements will span over five miles of power lines in Chester, Washington, and Roxbury townships, potentially benefiting more than 2,100 JCP&L customers. Doug Mokoid, President of FirstEnergy's New Jersey operations, stated: "The upgrades we're making under the New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project are part of our commitment to providing safe, reliable electric service for all our customers. These improvements, in particular, target areas where customers have experienced some of the most frequent outages in recent years."
The upgrades involve replacing existing infrastructure with stronger wires and poles capable of carrying more electricity and withstanding storms better. Additionally, fuses will be upgraded and new devices such as reclosers will be installed to reroute power during outages and minimize customer impact. TripSaver devices will also be introduced to detect temporary abnormalities along power lines and automatically restore service without needing crew intervention. Further tree trimming and vegetation management are included in the project.
The New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project consists of two phases aimed at enhancing reliability for high-priority lines based on historical outage data. The first phase includes at least $95 million in upgrades scheduled over the next three years. The second phase involves longer-duration projects targeted for completion by the end of 2028.
JCP&L provides service to 1.1 million customers across several counties including Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren.
FirstEnergy emphasizes integrity and operational excellence while serving customers across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York through its extensive electric distribution network.
For media inquiries contact Chris Hoenig at (609) 350-8599 or investor inquiries contact Gina Caskey at (330) 607-0157.