JCP&L Outlines $212 Million Infrastructure Plan, Faces Sharp Resident Criticism Over Outages
Robert Hargrove · Union County Life
JCP&L presented its multiyear infrastructure investment plan to Berkeley Heights Township Council on Tuesday during a conference session, outlining upgrades to substations, transmission lines and distribution circuits across the region. The presentation outlined the Energize NJ program, which was approved by the state Board of Public Utilities at a level of roughly $212 million — down from the $930 million JCP&L originally requested.
Bob Flynn, JCP&L's external affairs representative covering roughly 72 municipalities across northern New Jersey, said Berkeley Heights is included in the broader upgrade plan, with work touching the township's transmission system, substations and distribution circuits. Union County Life is covering this infrastructure update and the council's discussion of utility reliability in the township.
The Energize NJ program funds distribution, transmission and substation upgrades. Before that funding was approved, JCP&L was required to first address 18 circuits identified as having reliability issues. Flynn said some Berkeley Heights-area substation upgrades are targeted for 2027 and 2028. He estimated the upgrades would cost the average residential customer about 86 cents per month, down from an estimated $4.30 under the original $930 million funding request.
The program's broader goal is to build redundancy into the system through equipment such as remote controlled switching devices, reclosers and automated fuses called trip savers, designed to isolate momentary faults like animal or tree contact without causing a full outage. JCP&L has tracked positive reliability trends over two years of trip saver installations. Flynn said the program is expected to be substantially completed within about five years.
Reliability supervisor Gil Guerrero, also present at the meeting, said Berkeley Heights' infrastructure is relatively well reinforced compared with other municipalities, and that JCP&L's nearby line crews are positioned to respond quickly to local outages. He said much of the township's tree-related risk comes from trees located outside JCP&L's right of way, which the company cannot trim or remove without additional coordination, though the company has plans to mitigate the risk.
Council members pressed Flynn for Berkeley Heights specific data, including how many areas of concern JCP&L has identified in the township. Flynn said the company's reliability engineering group tracks that data, and Guerrero confirmed there is at least one area of concern in Berkeley Heights. The council asked that JCP&L share data on problem areas so the township could pass information to affected residents. Flynn said the company would be open to working directly with Business Administrator Liza Viana to review specific problem areas.
During public comment, several residents voiced frustration with local outages. Resident Michael Leblond said the township has averaged two to three outages per month, with seven recorded in June alone, and cited the same streets — including Diamond Hill, Emerson, Union and Klein — as being affected repeatedly. He said he raised similar concerns during a JCP&L presentation to the council in November 2018 and said outage totals have increased rather than decreased in the years since.
Residents with individual account concerns can contact JCP&L customer service at 1-800-662-3115 and request that a reliability engineer investigate their account.
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FAQ SECTION
What is the Energize NJ program?
Energize NJ is JCP&L's multiyear infrastructure investment program to upgrade substations, transmission lines and distribution circuits across northern New Jersey. The program includes installation of remote controlled switching devices, reclosers and automated fuses called trip savers, designed to isolate momentary faults without causing full outages.
How much was approved for Energize NJ?
The state Board of Public Utilities approved approximately $212 million in funding for the program. JCP&L originally requested $930 million.
When will upgrades happen in Berkeley Heights?
Some Berkeley Heights-area substation upgrades are targeted for 2027 and 2028. The overall program is expected to be substantially completed within about five years.
How much will this cost Berkeley Heights residents?
JCP&L estimates the upgrades will cost the average residential customer about 86 cents per month.
What should I do if I experience frequent outages in my area?
Residents can contact JCP&L customer service at 1-800-662-3115 and request that a reliability engineer investigate their account. You can also report concerns to the township council or Business Administrator Liza Viana.