Reconfigured power lines and modernized equipment provide greater reliability for customers in eight local communities

HOLMDEL, N.J. , Aug. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A reliability-focused $15.4 million upgrade is underway in Hunterdon County that will make electric service more resilient for more than 3,600 customers of Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) company.

Enhancements to overhead lines and substations and installation of underground wires in forested areas will help reduce outages and speed repairs for JCP&L customers in Alexandria, Delaware, Flemington Borough, Franklin, Frenchtown Borough, Kingwood, Stockton Borough and Union.

More Grid Flexibility, More Storm Resiliency

Electricity demand from communities served by JCP&L substations in Baptistown and Rosemont is growing. Upgrades at these substations will offer more resiliency and flexibility to serve customers in these areas.

Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy's President of New Jersey: "As our local communities grow, they need more power to keep homes and businesses running. We're strengthening overhead power lines and putting some lines underground to help make sure our customers have power they can rely on – even during storms. The smart improvements mean safer, more dependable electricity for everyone."

Upgrades Modernize the Electric Grid

Enhancements to fortify Hunterdon's electric infrastructure include:

• Smarter circuits: Reconfiguring neighborhood lines, known as circuits, to optimize reliability and allow for temporary switching of customers during outages.
• Sturdier equipment: Upgrading more than 20 miles of overhead power lines and 30 poles for increased capacity and storm resilience.
• Buried lines: Installing nearly 3 miles of underground wires in remote, wooded areas to minimize outages and speed repairs.
• Enhanced flexibility: Increasing equipment to reroute power during outages to reduce affected customers.
• Automated technology: Installing TripSaver devices that detect short-term power line issues, such as a tree branch bouncing off lines, and automatically restore service without needing a crew to investigate.
• Additional vegetation management: Increasing tree trimming and vegetation management to enhance service reliability.

Part of a Bigger Plan

The work is part of JCP&L's New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project, a two-phase effort to enhance the reliability of lines with a history of outages. At least $95 million in upgrades will be completed over the next two years, with longer term projects continuing through 2028.

The New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's $28 billion investment program to modernize the electric grid across the footprint between 2025 and 2029. The goal: a smarter, more secure grid that meets the needs of today's customers and tomorrow's growth. 

JCP&L serves 1.1 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 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.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jcpl-investing-15-million-in-stronger-electric-future-for-hunterdon-county-302526439.html

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.