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TagsPSEG and JCP&L say 82 percent of those affected now have power
BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
As of Wednesday night, electricity was restored to 82 percent of the New Jersey homes and businesses that lost power in the freak snowstorm on Saturday, Gov. Chris Christie said Wednesday and the two utilities involved expect 95 percent of restorations will be completed by Thursday night.
Overall, 135,000 homes and businesses remain without power four days after the storm pulled down power lines and trees.
Public Service Electric and Gas told the governor that 93 percent of its impacted customers had their power restored, while 41,000 customers remain without power. Jersey Central Power & Light told him the 74 percent of its impacted customers had their power restored, while 94,000 remain without power.
Christie had no criticism of the utilities’ efforts.
“The ongoing storm response activities by PSEG and JCP&L have made positive progress over the last day, with 82 percent of all impacted utility customers now back online,” Christie said. “Both utilities have assured me that efforts remain on track to meet the goal of restoring power to 95 percent of affected customers or more by midnight tomorrow night.”
53 percent of PSEG customers who were without power Tuesday have had their power restored. 48 percent of JCP&L’s customers who were without power Tuesday had their power restored through today.
“Reports of employees from both PSEG and JCP&L being threatened by angry or upset customers are disturbing to hear and are completely unacceptable,” the governor said. “I know that being without power is frustrating, but taking it out on the men and women who are working around the clock to restore power cannot be tolerated.”
Mr Governor,
I bet your power is on, perhaps you should not be so dismissive until you go a week without heat, hot water, and electricity. I don't condone attacking the power companies workers, however I can understand why being forced to deal with this unacceptable situation would lead to that. Maybe, it would be better to give realistic updates instead of generic blanket responses to those people suffering through this debacle. I can speak from first hand experience, my power has been out since Saturday and it's now Friday. Every so called "update" on the situation has only been to push back the estimated restoration date another day or two, yet I have not observed even one truck or PSE&G; worker anywhere on my block. The most frustrating fact about all of this is the uncertainty and the lack of transparency from PSE&G.; Most people are not unreasonable but when faced with almost zero visible response from a company that is a MONOPOLY the only response can be FRUSTRATION.
Thank you.