Upgrades in Hunterdon, Ocean and Warren Counties move the project into home stretch
HOLMDEL, N.J.
, Feb. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) customers saw fewer power outages last year as the company reached the halfway point of its $95 millionNew Jersey Reliability Improvement Project – a multi-year effort to make the electric system stronger and more dependable.
In parts of Morris and Monmouth counties, nearly 16,500 customers experienced more than an 80% drop in outages in 2025 compared to the year before, thanks to upgrades on local power lines targeted by the project.
Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy's President, New Jersey: "These improvements are keeping lights on more often and getting them back on faster when they do go out. We're seeing real improvements, and we're committed to making smart investments to bring that same level of reliability to even more communities as this work continues."
Investments Driving Results
To reduce the number and length of outages, JCP&L is improving areas that have had frequent service interruptions by:
- Strengthening poles and wires so they hold up better during storms.
- Moving certain power lines underground in places where overhead equipment is more easily damaged.
- Adding smart equipment that can automatically detect problems and restore power faster.
- Adjusting how local lines are arranged so fewer customers lose power when something goes wrong.
- Increasing tree trimming to help prevent branches and vegetation from causing outages.
More Improvement on the Way
The New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project includes upgrades to 18 circuits – groups of neighborhood power lines – across JCP&L's service area. Work is already underway on seven of them, with three more starting this month and six beginning in early 2026.
Upcoming work includes:
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Hunterdon County: More than seven miles of upgraded overhead line and 1,000 feet of new underground cable near the Glen Gardner substation plus new transformers and devices, giving crews more flexibility to keep customers powered.
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Southern Ocean County: A new 4.3‑mile power line along Route 9 and additional smart devices to reduce the number of customers affected during an outage.
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Warren County
: Upgrades to more than nine miles of power lines and new protective equipment for customers served by the Blairstown substation.
These three projects, scheduled to finish by year-end, will improve reliability for nearly 10,000 customers.
Part of a Bigger Investment in Reliability
JCP&L's New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's long-term investment program to modernize and strengthen the electric grid. FirstEnergy plans to invest $28 billion between 2025 and 2029 to build a smarter, more resilient grid that meets the evolving needs of communities across the service area.
JCP&L serves 1.2 million customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on X @JCP_L, on Facebook at facebook.com/JCPandL or online at jcp-l.com.
FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp or online at firstenergycorp.com.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
