JCP&L Crews Restore Service to 490,000 Customers Affected by Hurricane Sandy

MORRISTOWN, N.J., Nov. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) has made progress in restoring power to customers affected by Hurricane Sandy, with more than 100,000 restored in the past 24 hours.  Currently more than 490,000 customers have had power restored.  More than 5,400 professionals, including 2,500 linemen and 1,400 forestry workers, are focused on bringing back power to about 710,000 customers.  More than 500 more linemen are expected today.  Overall, more than 1 million customers were impacted by the storm.   

The majority of customers will be restored by Wednesday, November 7.  Customers in the hardest-hit areas can expect to be restored throughout the following week.  A significant number of customers will not be able to receive service until damaged roads, infrastructure and homes are rebuilt.

Crews are working to repair and restore lines that feed electricity to local substations.  Aerial patrols continue to assess damage.  Priorities continue to be restoring power to first responders, water and sewage treatment plants, hospitals, schools, and fueling stations.

"Everyone at JCP&L understands the hardships of extended power outages because we live and work here, too. Thousands of people are working day and night to restore service to our customers," said Don Lynch, President of JCP&L.  "We are adding more people every day to respond to the tragedy of Hurricane Sandy and we appreciate our customers' patience."

Hurricane Sandy caused widespread destruction in the JCP&L service area.  More than 470 utility poles have been damaged and more than 16,000 trees have been cut and removed already from JCP&L equipment since the hurricane struck New Jersey on Monday.  Crews have replaced approximately 2,400 spans of wire and 200 transformers.

The county-by-county list below outlines the number of customers who remain without power, how many have been restored, and how many were affected by power outages from Hurricane Sandy.  A more specific list by city is available at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.

As debris from the storm is being cleared, customers are cautioned never to touch downed lines.  Customers should always assume downed wires are carrying electricity and are reminded to keep children and pets away from them.  Downed wires should be reported immediately to your electric company or local police or fire department.  Customers should never try to remove trees or limbs from power lines because they could conduct electricity.  They should wait for emergency services or utility crews to arrive.   

To report an outage, customers should call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) – it's the fastest way to begin the restoration process.  Customers are reminded that even if they do not see crews working in their neighborhood, work could be under way at a nearby substation or other location that serves the neighborhood.  The priority for restoration starts with emergency services, including hospitals, police, fire and first aid.  Priority is also given to circuits serving the largest number of customers, followed by restoration of service to individual homes.

Customers with mobile devices can obtain updated information on current outages, FirstEnergy's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe.  Customers are urged to visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.  Or follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L and Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL for the latest information.

To ensure the safety of the home's occupants as well as that of utility company employees who may be working on power lines in the area, the proper generator should be selected and installed by a qualified electrician.  When operating a generator, always disconnect the power coming into your home.  Otherwise, power from your generator could be sent back onto the utility company lines, creating a hazardous situation for utility workers. 

For updated information on hurricane restoration news, current outages, FirstEnergy's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe after a storm, go to www.firstenergycorp.com. 

JCP&L is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE). JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in 13 New Jersey counties.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia.  Its generation subsidiaries control more than 20,000 megawatts of capacity from a diversified mix of scrubbed coal, non-emitting nuclear, natural gas, hydro, pumped-storage hydro and other renewables.  Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.