JCP&L Begins Work to Boost Reliability for Thousands in Ocean and Burlington Counties

Helicopter will be used in the fall to set new equipment and string power lines

HOLMDEL, N.J., July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) has begun prepping land in central New Jersey for infrastructure upgrades that will enhance the regional power grid and improve service reliability for thousands of residents and businesses in Ocean and Burlington counties.

The project involves clearing brush along 14 miles of existing right-of-way to make room for new utility poles that will support a high-voltage power line. The line will help enhance the efficiency and reliability of electricity delivery while providing a backup power source to keep the lights on if wires or equipment on the region's primary line are damaged or must be taken out of service. The work will span multiple communities, including North Hanover Township, New Hanover, Plumsted Township and Jackson Township, benefiting customers across these areas and their surrounding communities.

Construction is scheduled to begin in early September. Helicopters will be used to install equipment and string power lines in areas that are difficult to access by ground. This approach offers a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to using heavy equipment, which would otherwise require building roads or clearing large paths. By flying in materials and placing them with precision, helicopters minimize landscape disruption, enhance worker safety and accelerate the construction process. The project is expected to be completed in June 2026.

Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy's New Jersey President: "As energy needs continue to grow and evolve, we're keeping pace by strengthening our grid, adding additional capacity and using innovative tools like helicopters to build a more resilient system that keeps the power flowing, even during storms or unexpected outages."

As part of the work, new and existing overhead high-voltage lines along the project route will be upgraded to stronger, thicker wire that can better handle increased capacity and is more resilient during storms.

This project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's grid evolution program focused on investing $28 billion between 2025 and 2029 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.