Grid Upgrades Underway to Benefit JCP&L Customers in Burlington and Ocean Counties

Project anticipated to be completed in summer 2025

HOLMDEL, N.J., Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has started upgrades to the electric grid in Burlington and northwestern Ocean counties to enhance service for approximately 2,500 JCP&L customers. The $3.2 million, two-phase project is expected to be completed in July.

Equipment enhancements will take place along more than four miles of overhead and underground power lines in North Hanover, New Hanover and Plumsted townships.

Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy's President, New Jersey: "These grid enhancements build on the New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project, introducing infrastructure upgrades that will significantly enhance the safe and reliable service our JCP&L customers expect. This work also prepares our grid to meet the demands of the future."

The first phase will provide upgrades to two sections of power line originating out of a JCP&L substation in Cookstown, Burlington County, including:

• Replacing existing infrastructure with thicker, stronger wires and poles that can safely carry more electricity and provide more resiliency in storms.
• Upgrading fuses and installing additional devices and reclosers that allow power to be rerouted to adjacent lines when an outage occurs, minimizing the number of impacted customers.
• Installing TripSaver devices, which sense temporary abnormalities along power lines, such as a tree branch bouncing off lines, and automatically reenergize the line after the condition has passed without having to send a crew to investigate.
• Additional tree trimming and vegetation management along power lines.

The second phase will include the construction of a new power line to better meet current and future customer demand. The new line will tie into existing lines, enhancing reliability by increasing the ability for power to be switched and damage isolated in the event of outages.

The work is part of JCP&L's Supplemental High Priority Circuit Program, which expands upon the company's New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project, a two-phase effort to enhance reliability for customers on high-priority lines selected based on historical outage data.

The JCP&L reliability programs are part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's grid evolution program focused on investing $26 billion between 2024 and 2028 across its six-state footprint to create a smarter, more secure grid that delivers the power customers depend on today while also meeting the challenges of tomorrow.

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. Follow JCP&L on X @JCP_L, on Facebook at facebook.com/JCPandL or online at jcp-l.com.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp or online at firstenergycorp.com.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.