Residents press JCP&L over pole placements, notices and reliability after outages

Jose Ortiz, JCP&L’s local external affairs consultant, told the Holmdel Township Committee the project replaces aging 1970s equipment, adds a second 34.5 kV circuit for redundancy and modernizes local infrastructure to reduce the risk of large outages. “This project is one of 10 reliability projects … it modernizes older equipment and adds redundancy,” Ortiz said, adding that the parent company is funding the work rather than seeking rate recovery.

Residents pressed Ortiz and the governing body for specifics. “Why were there so many tones and colors of the poles? Why are some of the poles stained on one side and not the other?” asked a resident during public comment, describing the new structures as “monsters” and naming Holmdel Park as a site of particular concern. Multiple attendees asked whether JCP&L followed state notice requirements and whether homeowners whose yards were disturbed would be compensated; Ortiz said the company mailed more than 360 notices, employed a public‑outreach contractor for calls, and would follow up individually on claims and easement questions.

Committee members focused questions on outage diagnostics and vegetation management. The mayor and council asked why some outages impacted hundreds of customers while others affected only one to four homes; Ortiz and JCP&L staff explained that major outages were caused by trees falling on lines (often outside the company’s 10‑foot aerial right‑of‑way), while the long tail of single‑home outages often stemmed from customer service drops or service‑wire issues. Ortiz recommended residents report dangerous limbs so crews can investigate within 24 hours, and said the company trims lines on a four‑year cycle established by the Board of Public Utilities.

The committee and residents also pressed JCP&L on process questions the company said required engineers: how pole type and design are selected, whether old poles will be removed only after other carriers transfer lines to the new structures, and whether the project will measurably increase reliability in Holmdel. Ortiz said the full project team — including subject matter experts — will return in September to answer technical questions; the mayor said the township expects those answers and additional documentation about notifications and easements before then.

What’s next: JCP&L will return with a full project team in September, and the township will collect written follow‑ups on easements, denied claims, and site cleanup. The committee also flagged potential complaints to the BPU for nonresponsive telecom companies still on older poles.