Storm Leaves Nearly 400 Without Power in Belmar

Outages reported throughout Monmouth area

Update: At 11 a.m., 396 Belmar residents remain without power. Sand piles were built on the Belmar beachfront to hold back possible high tide surges yesterday. ---- With the National Weather Service reporting flood and wind advisories through 10 a.m. Thursday, hundreds were without power in Belmar thanks to a powerful storm that began Wednesday afternoon. Rains continued to pelt the area overnight, as flood prone areas remained in under advisory for wind, coastal flooding and hazardous weather. Power outages varied throughout Monmouth County, according to Jersey Central Power & Light. At 9:30 p.m., 392 customers in Belmar were without power, JCP&L reported, while Manasquan had fewer than five powerless. Winds varied from 38 to a predicted …

• Photos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

How Was Your Electric Service During Hurricane Sandy? NJBPU Wants to Know

If your electric service was out for weeks, you can vent at a series of statewide BPU hearings

In some parts of the state, the power outages after Hurricane Sandy lasted for more than two weeks. Now the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) wants to know what consumers think about how their local electric utilities handled the hurricane. The BPU is seeking public input in a series of public forums throughout the state. Public hearings involving the performance of Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) are scheduled. The next is Tuesday, December 18, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hopatcong Middle School. These are just the beginnings of hearings that will held statewide, said BPU spokesman Earl Pierce. "We're still deciding the schedule. There will be more set up throughout the state," Pierce said. That will also include other power …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

Information for Sandy-Battered Businesses at Monday Meeting

UPDATE: New location: White Sands, Point Beach

The Small Business Administration (SBA) and FEMA will explain how businesses damaged by Sandy should apply for financial assistance at a meeting on Monday at the White Sands. The Point Pleasant Chamber of Commerce and the Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce are welcoming business owners and managers from across Ocean and Monmouth counties to attend the session from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Monday at the White Sands, 1205 Ocean Ave., Point Beach. The Point Pleasant Chamber on Saturday had announced in an email to all members that the meeting would be with SBA at the chamber office, 2810 Bridge Ave., Point Pleasant Borough. However, there was an announcement on the chamber's Facebook page on Sunday that the meeting would be at the White Sands…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Hurricane Sandy

Despite Gov's Assurance, Thousands Still in the Dark

Christie said all power in NJ would be restored by now

  Despite assurances by Gov. Christie that the entire state would have power again by yesterday, there are thousands still in the dark in New Jersey, including 601 in just Monmouth and Ocean counties, according to the JCP&L outage map. As of 3:15 p.m. Monday, there are 441 outages in Monmouth and 160 in Ocean and about 3,100 outages among JCP&L customers in the 13 counties it serves, the map shows. In Morris County alone there are 739 JCP&L customers reporting outages. PSE&G has 278 outages on Monday afternoon, including 19 outages caused by Sandy and 259 caused by the nor'easter. Atlantic Electric has restored power to all customers who can safely be restored, said Frank Tedesco, company spokesman. He said there are 2,000 to 2,500 …

•  59 Comments
• Photos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

JCP&L to Continue Working on Outages "As Safety Permits"

Still 74,012 in the dark in Ocean and Monmouth counties

There are currently 28,176 JCP&L customers without power in Ocean County and 45,836 without power in Monmouth County, according to an update on the JCP&L website. Those numbers change constantly as crews continue to work on outages throughout the region. However, the nor'easter starting to move into the area may cause new outages as well as coastal flooding, according to the National Weather Service. JCP&L, in a prepared statement, says: "Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) has restored power to more than 900,000 of the 1.2 million JCP&L customers affected by Hurricane Sandy, marking five consecutive days where crews have restored at least 100,000 customers per day. While restoration continues, JCP&L is preparing for a Nor'easter that is …

•  84 Comments
• Photos (2)
• Documents (1)

Hurricane Sandy

UPDATE: Nearly 247,000 Without Power in Ocean and Monmouth

Outages to increase as Sandy barrels towards the Shore

Update, 6 p.m.: Outages have reached 126,739 in Ocean County and 120,000 in Monmouth County. --- There are nearly 24,000 reported power outages in Monmouth and Ocean counties as of early Monday afternoon, according to a Jersey Central Power & Light map. As of early Monday afternoon, there were 23,559 outages reported in Monmouth and Ocean. However, there was no way to immediately learn if some without power have not reported it yet because they may have no means of communication without electricity. But according to the information available, the highest number of outages in one town in the two counties was Middletown, with 6,869. Another town with a high number of reported outages was Berkeley in southern Ocean County with 1,848. …

•  27 Comments
• Photos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

JCP&L Warns Power Could Be Out For 10 Days

Utility company says its hiring extra contractors, urges residents to be prepared

Residents should be prepared for power outages of up to 10 days from the anticipated impact of Hurricane Sandy, according to a release from the parent company of JCP&L. FirstEnergy Corp, which owns the local utility company along with several others on the East Coast, said in a release that the oncoming storm could wreak havoc with the electrical system and residents should be prepared to be without power for more than a week. The company is securing outside utility crews, electrical contractor and tree trimmers to assist a beefed up response crew and support workers to help restore power as soon as possible throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland, according to the release. “Depending on the severity of the storm's impact on the …

•  69 Comments
• Photos (1)

Hurricane Sandy

HURRICANE SANDY: JCP&L Says it Learned From Its Mistakes

Stresses storm may knock out power for 7-10 days

  Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) President Don Lynch says the company has learned from the mistakes it made from Hurricane Irene and is ready for Hurricane Sandy and the threat it poses to the state. The company took heat when Hurricane Irene left many New Jersey towns without power for days - and, in some cases, weeks. Many thought JCP&L's response was too slow. The biggest lesson learned is getting the information out to customers and municipalities as specifically, quickly and often as possible, Lynch said. The company wants its customers to know as much information as possible, he said. "Just know that Jersey Central will be working hard day and night - we've already started, should that storm hit shore here and cause outages …

•  40 Comments
• Photos (3)

JCP&L: Power to Be Restored to Most by Midnight

Customers still in the dark are eligible for free water and ice.

Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) expects to restore power to the majority of its 4,000 New Jersey customers without power by midnight, according to a press release issued by company spokesperson Ron Morano. Isolated, individual outages may last until Monday. A severe thunderstorm Saturday night knocked out power to 85,000 customers, including over 40,000 in Monmouth County. Freehold Township residents were hit hardest, with nearly 10,000 residents left in the dark. “JCP&L crews worked through the night and will continue their efforts until all power is restored,” the JCP&L release stated. By 5:40 p.m. on Sunday, power had been restored to all but 2,846 residents in Monmouth County. Freehold Township and Freehold Borough account for …

•  9 Comments
• Photos (1)