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Enhancing Electric Grid Reliability in Northern New Jersey

In a significant move to bolster power reliability, Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has commenced an extensive construction project that aims to enhance the electric grid for more than 5,000 customers across Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties in New Jersey.

This ambitious initiative includes the installation and upgrade of infrastructure along key power lines originating from the Cozy Lake substation, benefitting residents in Jefferson and Rockaway Townships, West Milford Township, and Hardyston and Sparta Townships. JCP&L's commitment to enhance service reliability is evident through its New Jersey Reliability Improvement Program, a multi-phase strategy expressly designed to reduce the instances and impact of power outages.

Investments in Infrastructure

Doug Mokoid, President of FirstEnergy's New Jersey operations, stated, "The investments we are making in these local communities represent some of the largest enhancements within our New Jersey Reliability Improvement Program. Our approach involves a comprehensive enhancement of service reliability by improving vegetation management, line resilience, load balancing, and increasing system flexibility and redundancy."

The project entails several key developments:

• - Upgrading Power Lines: Over 11.5 miles of existing power lines will be reinforced with stronger poles and upgraded wire capable of carrying more electricity, thus providing increased resilience during storms.
• - Underground Lines Installation: An additional three miles of underground power lines will be constructed, further minimizing the chance of outages caused by severe weather.
• - Advanced Outage Response Devices: Approximately 60 smart devices will be installed to help detect issues and restore power quickly. The new TripSaver devices will automatically re-energize lines after temporary faults, such as tree limbs brushing against power lines, without the need for a crew to investigate the situation firsthand.
• - Customer Transfers for Better Load Management: Over 2,400 customers will be shifted to more reliable neighboring power lines to enhance load balancing and decrease the likelihood of outages.

Ongoing Commitment to Reliability

As part of the initiative, certain power line sections along Route 23 will be relocated closer to the roadway, with robust fiberglass poles and crossarms installed to better withstand incidents involving trees. This project forms part of a broader two-phase program aimed at reinforcing critical lines identified through historical outage data.

The first phase includes a substantial investment of at least $95 million over three years, aligning with FirstEnergy's greater grid evolution effort known as Energize365, which intends to allocate $26 billion from 2024 to 2028 across six states.

JCP&L caters to 1.1 million customers across various counties in New Jersey, including Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren. For more updates, you can follow JCP&L on social media platforms and their official website.

This project exemplifies FirstEnergy's dedication to not only maintaining but enhancing operational excellence, reliability, and safety for its customers. The ongoing improvements signify a proactive approach to minimizing power disruptions, ensuring that the communities served enjoy a consistent energy supply, even amidst the challenges posed by extreme weather conditions.