Resident: JCP&L Not Taking Storm Impact Seriously

Two representatives of JCP&L at the meeting Thursday may have hoped to dispel any lingering anger residents have over the .

But if that was the case, then resident Doug Reeder let them know they have more work ahead of them.

"JCP&L isn't taking this very seriously," Reeder said, after JCP&L area manager Stan Prater outlined the company's plans to deal with future storms and spend about $200,000 trimming trees in Warren this year. "I don't think the power company understands what happened in Warren—it was horrible."

Reeder challenged Prater and External Vice President Mark Jones on the company's spending on line maintenance, particularly spending for trimming to help prevent the kinds of problems caused last year that left thousands in Warren without power for up to a week.

"You're building your profits by not doing that maintenance, as far as I can tell," Reeder added.

Prater outlined a , with many of the changes based on lessons learned last year. In addition to spending $65 million to upgrade the company's power transmission lines, he said the company has also instituted new emergency response plans, which include providing field crews with information systems to enable them to better identify and respond to sources of power outages.

He said the company will also coordinate with county Office of Emergency Management centers after major events, which Warren OEM Coordinator Jane Asch said would be very helpful. She also asked if the company could share real-time information on specific locations without power.

"To know there are five people today without electricity is helpful—but we don't know where they are," Asch said. "This is valuable information we need."

Prater said the company is working on a system to provide the information through the county OEM offices, but does not have the capability to do so currently.

Committeeman Gary DiNardo, who was mayor during the storms last year, wondered if the company's policy of trimming power lines served by a substation once every four years was enough. He said the heavy tree coverage and fast growth of vegetation in the area may require more frequent trimming.

He also asked Prater about the company's method of dispatching repair crews, which were staged in Livingston for several days, spending hours driving to areas for work.  

"The question is how can you get things implemented better?" he said. "Obviously, this was a learning experience. I would recommend a different staging plan."

Committeeman Mick Marion was more blunt about hsi impression of JCP&L's performance.

"I think you fell asleep at the wheel this time," he said. "You should have been out there addressing these issues like the other company was."