Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
JCP&L outlines causes of recent outages and $4.7 million of reliability upgrades for Monroe Township
Summary
Jersey Central Power & Light told Monroe officials that three recent outage events affected up to 5,000 customers and described planned system upgrades—including four circuit ties, three substation upgrades and smart protection devices—totaling about $4.7 million and expected by 2028.
Representatives from Jersey Central Power & Light briefed Monroe Township about recent outage events and described planned upgrades aimed at reducing the size and duration of future outages.
Company speakers said a Nov. 16 wind event produced a large outage impacting around 5,000 customers; a Nov. 23 wind event caused a roughly 2,000-customer outage of about 80 minutes; and a Dec. 3 event (a large tree falling) caused a 20-minute outage affecting roughly 2,000 customers. Jose Ortiz summarized those events and explained that automatic recloser devices operate to protect circuits; when a device 'hangs open' crews must patrol the circuit to confirm safety before re-energizing.
Kieran Temple and other JCP&L staff described investments planned for Monroe: four circuit ties to improve back-feed capability, about seven smart protection devices to limit affected customers and speed restoration, and three substation upgrades. The company said it expects to invest roughly $4,700,000 in the projects and to execute them by 2028. Temple said other distribution upgrades (poles, equipment and conductor upgrades) are also planned for targeted circuits.
Council members pressed JCP&L on streetlight repairs, LED conversion and vegetation management. JCP&L staff explained that replacing a sodium-vapor fixture with LED typically requires a formal municipal request and tariff-authorized work, and that costs (per fixture) can run into the hundreds of dollars; the company also said it will send a 60-day vegetation-management notice for trimming and has assigned a customer-relations representative to work with HOAs and municipalities.
Residents at public forum pushed the utility on billing and recent rate increases. In response, JCP&L clarified how electric bills are composed, telling the audience generation is a market pass-through (about 60% of a typical bill) and that distribution (the company’s regulated service) is separate; the company said it does not profit from generation pass-throughs and urged that public questions about generation pricing are addressed through auction-market and regulatory processes.
JCP&L provided multiple reporting options for streetlight outages, including a web form and Facebook reporting, and said it will follow up with the township on specific pole lists and planned work.
