Jersey Central Power & Light upgrading transmission line structures along 40 miles

Eying reliability and outage improvements for its service area, Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) earlier this month began updating structures along a 40-mile stretch of high-voltage transmission line stretching through Hunterdon, Morris, and Warren counties of New Jersey.

In all, 53 new wood pole structures will be added under the approximately $6 million Energizing the Future project. Work started in the area last year when JCP&L replaced 12 structures along the same line. These improvements should strengthen the 115-kV line overall and help counteract unplanned outages for more than 3,000 customers.

“The installation of this new infrastructure will create a more resilient line that can better withstand the effects of severe weather and continue to deliver safe, reliable power for our customers,” Jim Fakult, president of New Jersey operations for FirstEnergy, said.

Energizing the Future did not begin or end with these efforts, and the transmission system will continue to transform. Down the line, this will include advanced equipment and technologies, reliability improvements, and more. Last year, FirstEnergy invested more than $10 billion into the initiative, and it has been upgrading or replacing existing power lines, adding smart technology, and upgrading substations since 2014.