Residents, Officials Urge JCP&L Upgrades

To hear the Morris County residents attending a Board of Public Utilities hearing on the response following Hurricane Irene tell their stories, the company's widely-publicized communication problems are only part of the issue.

For many of the nearly 80 residents on hand at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy in Morris Plains Tuesday, the power outages following the storm were not only predictable, but expected.

"It should be clear that we're dealing with more than a company that failed during the hurricane, we're dealing with a company that's been failing for years," Morris Township resident Gordon Laurig said.

The comments came during the second of two hearings scheduled to gather testimony regarding utility companies' responses within the JCP&L service area. According to BPU President Lee Solomon, the hearings are part of a series planned to enable residents from across the state to comment on the responses by all of the state's electricity distribution companies.

Many of the Morristown and Morris Township residents said electrical service frequently goes out, with no apparent reason, but what upsets them most is the company's lack of communication.

Many said they received voicemail messages reporting power would be restored within a few hours or had been restored—messages which proved unfounded.

"It just seems to me, somewhere in JCP&L's command center, they were terribly confused," said John Grimm, of Delaware Township.

Even municipal officials said they were unable to get helpful or accurrate information from the company during the week after Hurricane Irene.

Summit Mayor Jordan Glatt outlined a series of steps he recommended the board request JCP&L to take, focused on the need for improved communication within the company, as well as with the public.

"Although it's not common for local governments to be leaders in technology, in this case, local government communicated with residents using websites, Twitter, local cable access and by going directly to impacted neighborhoods," Glatt said. "JCP&L, by comparison, used fax machines."

Another common concern focused on the company's maintenance of equipment and power lines, which many residents said was inadequate.

Morristown resident Jean Gray said she believes electrical service has been declining since JCP&L was taken over by First Energy, of Ohio. She said she'd heard the company didn't trim trees around power lines for two years after the takeover, and reduced the number of linemen by 700.

"This is a very bad company—what can the individual do?" she asked. "I can't go to another power company. The system has to be updated—money has to be put into the system."

Before the three-and-a-half-hour meeting concluded, several residents made a point of praising the work by the repair crews, many of whom worked 12 to 16 hours each day, and through the Labor Day weekend to restore service.

The board's next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 3 in Bordentown, Burlington County, but residents can also submit comments to the board by email to board.secretary@bDu.state.nj.us, or to: Kristi Izzo, Secretary of the Board Board of Public Utilities, P.O. Box 350, Trenton, NJ 08625-0350. Submitted comments should reference "Hurricane Irene comments -Docket Number EO11 0900543" in the subject line for emails and in the heading any written correspondence. Comments will be accepted until Oct. 31.