Thursday, February 7, 2013
Additional work crews will help restore service if necessary.
Jersey Central Power & Light is bringing in additional work crews in advance of the winter storm. The storm is forecast to drop a foot or more of snow in North Jersey beginning Friday afternoon. JCP&L President Don Lynch will hold a press conference in Dover on Friday at 10 a.m. to discuss the company’s preparation work in detail. JCP&L customers blasted the utility company in the days following Superstorm Sandy. Thousands of area residents were without power for more than a week after the storm. All available work crews and support personnel will work around the clock, if necessary, to restore service to customers who lose power due to Nemo, the company announced Thursday night. More than 100 work crews from FirstEnergy's Ohio Edison, The…
Downloadable app comes after customers demand better communication following Superstorm Sandy.
The parent company of Jersey Central Power and Light is touting its new mobile phone app, which the company says could be helpful during times of power outages. The app launched by FirstEnergy Corp. is free for its customers in the five states the company's utilities serve, and offers quicker access to outage maps, simplified reporting of outages, and access to personal account information. “Our new smartphone app and mobile website make it easier for our customers to stay in touch with us and conduct every-day transactions when they’re on the go, whether it’s reporting a power outage or paying a bill,” Ronald I. Green, vice president of Customer Service, said. “The new tools also make our simple and secure online bill payment programs …
Sunday, January 6, 2013
App to launch sometime in January, according to press release.
Following several major storms in about a year—including two powerful near-hurricanes—Jersey Central Power & Light has, fairly or not, suffered some pretty harsh criticism from both customers and municipalities. On Thursday, the utility announced a series of new operational practices that, according to a press release, "will provide additional information to municipal officials about power outage restoration efforts during significant storm events." The JCP&L enhancements will include, according to the press release: Providing municipalities with maps showing electrical circuit routes in their communities; locating JCP&L municipal liaisons in company field offices to maintain contact with local officials; hosting targeted teleconference …
Thursday, December 27, 2012
In total, 223 new vehicles are being purchased for the utility, according to press release.
More than $27 million in new vehicles is being invested by JCP&L, according to a news release. The vehicles will be for line crews and "other front-line employees across its service territory," according to the release issued Dec. 20. In total, 223 new vehicles are being purchased for the utility, more than half of which will be bucket and "digger derrick" trucks that will "help employees perform their field work efficiently while also protecting workers’ safety," according to the release. The addition of the new trucks brings the total number of vehicles in the JCP&L fleet to 1,350, according to the release. “The new trucks contain advanced technology that includes enhanced hydraulics to better handle heavy materials and more robust …
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Officials, residents raise concerns at third BPU hearing about utility company's storm response.
Nearly two months after Hurricane Sandy pummeled through the Northeast, the frustration about the communication from state officials and power companies in the storm aftermath is still a major discussion among members of the public. The quality and accuracy of the information flow was the key subject brought up at the Board of Public Utilities third public hearing at Hopatcong Middle School Tuesday night. More than 60 people, including local officials and residents from Morris, Sussex and Passaic counties, attended the meeting where over a dozen people commented and raised concerns to BPU and JCP&L officials about the state's preparedness and response after the storm that left millions across the state without power for days and some for …
Thursday, December 13, 2012
While many towns have expressed interest in picking up the utility's service, franchise agreements would prevent expansion.
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Thursday, December 13, 2012
Other towns may want Butler Power & Light service, but they can't have it. At least not right now. When West Milford officials expressed interest in switching service to the utility, also known as Butler Electric, Township Attorney Fred Semrau said the service provider was not interested, according to The Record. The Record reported that inquiries made by Pequannock, West Milford and Riverdale about switching over to Butler Electric from JCP&L and Orange & Rockland Electric Company would be prevented by needed infrastructure improvements and franchise agreements. Read the full story from the The Record here. Kinnelon, Butler and Bloomingdale are primarily serviced by Butler Electric, with the exception of 73 Kinnelon customers whose homes …
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Company's president to meet with Board of Public Utilities in Basking Ridge.
The president of Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) and members of the Board of Public Utilities will appear in Basking Ridge at a public meeting Monday to discuss the utility's response to Superstorm Sandy. The state Board of Public Utilities issued a notice that the meeting will be held to solicit public comment on JCP&L's preparedness and responsiveness before, during and after Hurricane Sandy. The meeting will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the auditorium in the William Annin Middle School, 70 Quincy Road, Basking Ridge. A second hearing will be held on Dec. 18 at the Hopatcong Middle School, 1 David Road, from 4 to 7 p.m. The notice said additional hearings would be scheduled in December and in 2013.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
State Sen. Kevin O'Toole calls utility's request 'insulting' at Trenton hearing Wednesday.
State Sen. Kevin O’Toole (R-40th District) told Jersey Central Power & Light officials Wednesday morning their request for a $31.5-million rate hike following Hurricane Sandy was “insulting.” O’Toole, speaking at a state Board of Public Utilities hearing in Trenton to discuss the rate hike, told Patch during a short recess he was given the opportunity to directly address JCP&L President Donald Lynch about the utilities response to the storm and “what went right and what went wrong.” “I told him it (the proposed rate increase) was insulting,” said O'Toole. “We critiqued as to why it was necessary and I said that perhaps it would be wise to keep money for the repairs from New Jersey in New Jersey” and not place the money in the company’s …
Friday, November 16, 2012
Mayor said it could be difficult for residents who live in JCP&L region to switch to Butler Electric service.
A Kinnelon councilman plans to propose a borough ordinance that would impose a penalty on utility companies that “put dollars before their customers,” resulting in long delays when repairing outages after events like Superstorm Sandy. Councilman Ronald Mondello said he came up with the idea, which he briefly mentioned during the council’s Thursday meeting, after reading earlier in the day about a Somerville law firm that had enacted a class action lawsuit against Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) in relation to its Sandy response. Mondello said he would discuss the idea further with the mayor and council before officially proposing an ordinance. During last week's work session meeting, Mayor Robert Collins described his …
Friday, November 9, 2012
Mayor said the small number of residents serviced by the company were not attended to quickly after Tropical Storm Sandy.
While Kinnelon Mayor Robert Collins took a few minutes to commend borough staff, volunteers and Butler Electric utility workers Thursday night, he also spoke of his dissatisfaction with Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) and their lack of communication regarding the 73 Kinnelon residents who use the company's power. "We can make note of the fact that our residents were put in a very difficult position because [JCP&L] didn't do what they were supposed to do," he said. Collins said that he first contacted JCP&L on Sunday after learning that of the 73 JCP&L customers in the borough, 85 percent remained without power. He said he did not receive a return call for days and when he did, the person on the other line seemed to provide an almost …
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