In an ongoing effort to address the chronic issues faced by Hopewell residents impacted by Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) power outages, the Hopewell Township Committee has long advocated for improvements at the utility. Township residents deserve a stronger and more reliable power grid.
The Township Committee held a public meeting in March of 2024, where JCP&L representatives heard from the community and answered questions. Further, in May, Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning met with representatives from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) to address the problems with JCP&L’s service reliability.
The Township Committee is pleased to announce that JCP&L has now committed $2.7 million to enhance the reliability of electrical service in the Township, which should reduce both the frequency and duration of service interruptions. This investment is in response to Township and resident concerns, and it underscores JCP&L’s commitment to improving service.
The JCP&L Reliability Project will include several key upgrades. The main components of the project include:
- Reconducting Two Miles of Circuits: This effort will help to improve redundancy, ensuring that if one circuit experiences an issue, another can quickly take over to maintain service.
- Installing Auto-Resetting Circuit Breakers: These upgraded circuit breakers will help to immediately restore power when interruptions occur, reducing downtime and ensuring quicker recovery.
- Real-Time Monitoring: The project will introduce advanced real-time monitoring systems that will allow dispatchers to be notified immediately when a circuit is interrupted. This quick notification will shorten the response time of service crews, leading to faster resolution of outages.
- Tree Trimming along Rte 29 and Adjacent Roads: Trees can often cause outages, especially during storms. Trimming trees along these critical roadways will help to prevent such interruptions.
The project is anticipated to be completed by June 2025.
Submitted Hopewell Township
