New poles, wires and equipment to benefit 17,000 customers

HOLMDEL, N.J., Sept. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has begun upgrading two miles of a high-voltage power line in Monmouth County to help prevent or minimize the impact of service disruptions for more than 17,000 customers in the region.

The 34.5-kilovolt power line runs south from JCP&L's Elberon Substation to its Allenhurst Substation, traversing Long Branch, Ocean Township, Deal and Allenhurst. As part of the project, JCP&L will replace the existing wires, hardware and structures that have been in place since the 1970s with new poles, wires and equipment.

The new wires installed can carry more electrical load and will be able to accommodate greater customer demand. They will also be able to carry increased power flow in the event of unplanned service interruptions on other lines in the area. The work is expected to be completed in late 2023.

"These upgrades will reinforce the electric grid and help us meet the growing demand for safe, reliable power by our customers in Central Jersey," said Jim Fakult, president of New Jersey Operations for FirstEnergy. "This work also offers a backup power feed that will help keep the lights on for customers if wires or equipment on their regular line are damaged or need to be taken out of service."

The upgrade is the fourth in a series of projects designed to enhance reliability for Central Jersey customers. Late last year, JCP&L started construction on two projects to upgrade 19 miles of transmission power lines in the Monmouth County area and enhance reliability for 50,000 customers. Overall, JCP&L is investing $223 million to upgrade more than 60 miles of transmission lines in the county.

The projects are part of Energizing the Future, an ongoing multistate initiative designed to upgrade FirstEnergy's transmission system with advanced equipment and technologies that will reinforce the power grid and help reduce the frequency and duration of customer outages. Since 2014, FirstEnergy has upgraded or replaced existing power lines, incorporated smart technology into the grid and upgraded dozens of substations with new equipment and enhanced security features. Through 2022, FirstEnergy had invested more than $10 billion in the Energizing the Future initiative across its six-state service territory.

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 Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL or online at www.jcp-l.com.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving 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 online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.