JCP&L begins high-voltage power line upgrade in Monmouth County
Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) has begun work on upgrading 3.5 miles of a high-voltage power line in Monmouth County.
The 34.5-kilovolt power line runs northeast from JCP&L’s Atlantic Substation in Colts Neck Township and into Tinton Falls Borough. Through this $11 million project, JCP&L will replace the existing wires, hardware and structures with new poles, wires and equipment designed to better withstand severe weather elements. The majority of the new structures will be wood poles. The old equipment had been in place since the 1970s.
The new wires can carry more electrical load and will be able to accommodate greater customer demand for electricity. Further, they will be able to carry increased power flow in the event of unplanned service interruptions on other lines in the area. Ultimate, this will help to enhance reliability and minimize power outages. The work is expected to be completed in late 2024.
“This important project will help reduce the risk of outages and ensure that our transmission system keeps pace with the growing demand for safe, reliable power by our customers in central Jersey,” Jim Fakult, president of JCP&L, said.
This is the fifth in a series of projects designed to enhance reliability for JCP&L customers in central New Jersey. Overall, JCP&L is investing $223 million to upgrade more than 60 miles of transmission lines in the county as part of its Energize365 initiative — a multi-year grid evolution program.
JCP&L, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, serves 1.1 million customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren.
