JCP&L upgrades power lines in northern Monmouth County
JCP&L completes $15M infrastructure upgrades in northern Monmouth County, installing stronger poles and new wire to improve reliability during storms.
The FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary completed work on distribution lines serving Holmdel, Marlboro, and surrounding communities as part of its Energize365 grid modernization program. The project replaced aging wooden poles with steel structures and upgraded conductor wire to handle higher electrical loads.
“These improvements will help our customers experience fewer and shorter power outages, especially during storms,” said JCP&L spokesperson Ron Morano.
The utility has faced criticism from state regulators and customers over reliability issues, particularly after widespread outages during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and subsequent storms. The Board of Public Utilities has required JCP&L to invest billions in system upgrades as part of settlement agreements.
Monmouth County’s northern communities have seen significant residential and commercial development in recent years, straining the existing electrical infrastructure. The new equipment can handle increased demand from data centers, warehouses, and housing developments along the Route 9 corridor.
JCP&L said the Monmouth upgrades represent $15 million in capital investment, funded through ratepayer charges approved by state regulators. The company plans similar projects in Ocean and Middlesex counties over the next two years.
The utility serves 1.1 million customers across central and northern New Jersey, including major pharmaceutical companies in the Route 1 corridor and logistics facilities near the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway.
State energy officials have pushed utilities to harden their systems against extreme weather as climate change increases the frequency of severe storms. JCP&L’s parent company FirstEnergy has committed to spending $4.2 billion on New Jersey grid improvements through 2028.
The Monmouth project also includes new smart grid technology that can automatically reroute power during outages, reducing restoration times from hours to minutes in some cases. Similar systems have already been deployed in parts of Essex and Union counties.
