JCP&L Making Overhead and Underground Electrical Upgrades in Northern N.J.

Rhea-AI Summary

Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiary, has launched a $5.1 million electrical infrastructure upgrade project in Northern New Jersey. The project, scheduled for completion in November, will benefit 1,700 customers across Roxbury, Mount Arlington, and Hopatcong.

The upgrades include:

• Installation of 2,000 ft of underground wires in Roxbury Township
• Enhanced tree trimming
• Stronger poles and overhead wire installation
• Increased protective devices and reclosers
• TripSaver devices implementation

This initiative is part of JCP&L's New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project, a two-phase program with minimum $95 million investments over three years. It falls under FirstEnergy's broader Energize365 grid evolution program, which plans to invest $26 billion between 2024-2028 across six states.

Positive

• Part of larger $26 billion grid evolution investment program (2024-2028)
• Minimum $95 million commitment to NJ reliability improvements over 3 years
• Infrastructure modernization to improve service reliability and storm resilience
• Automated systems implementation to reduce outage duration

Negative

• None.

Insights

Utility Infrastructure Expert

FirstEnergy's $5.1 million grid reliability project in northern New Jersey represents tactical execution of the company's broader capital investment strategy. While modest in scale, this project incorporates several technical enhancements that align with industry best practices for grid hardening and modernization:

The selective undergrounding approach (2,000 feet of new underground lines) targets vulnerable sections of the distribution network while avoiding the prohibitive costs of full undergrounding. This balanced approach typically yields strong reliability-to-cost ratios. The installation of TripSaver devices and additional reclosers reflects modern utility practice of increasing grid intelligence and segmentation - essentially creating smaller protection zones that limit outage impacts.

From an investor perspective, this project demonstrates consistent execution of FirstEnergy's previously announced $26 billion Energize365 initiative. While this specific $5.1 million investment won't materially move the needle on FE's financial performance, it represents the company's operational focus on its regulated utility strategy.

The broader context shows FirstEnergy continuing its strategic pivot toward becoming a fully regulated utility focused on transmission and distribution infrastructure. These investments typically receive favorable regulatory treatment and can contribute to rate base growth - the primary driver of earnings for regulated utilities. However, without details on regulatory recovery mechanisms specific to this project, investors should view this as standard operational execution rather than new material information.

For the 1,700 customers benefiting from these upgrades, the improvements should result in fewer and shorter outages, particularly during severe weather events, supporting customer satisfaction metrics that increasingly factor into regulatory relationships.

Project to benefit 1,700 customers in Morris and Sussex counties

HOLMDEL, N.J., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has begun construction on a year-long project to upgrade overhead and install new underground electric service in portions of Sussex County. The $5.1 million project is expected to be completed in November.

The work will take place along a power line running from a JCP&L substation in the Landing section of Roxbury Township and benefit 1,700 customers in Roxbury, the Borough of Mount Arlington in western Morris County and the Borough of Hopatcong in southern Sussex County.

Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy's President, New Jersey: "Our teams have worked diligently to plan projects like selective undergrounding and robust overhead upgrades that make a positive impact on service reliability for our customers. This work will help us better meet the current and future electric needs of these communities."

In addition to enhanced tree trimming along the power line, the electric grid upgrades include:

• Installing approximately 2,000 ft. of underground wires in Roxbury Township.
• Upgrading existing infrastructure with thicker, stronger poles and overhead wire that can safely carry more electricity and provide more resiliency in storms.
• Increasing the number of protective devices and reclosers that allow power to be rerouted to adjacent lines when an outage occurs, minimizing the number of impacted customers.
• Installing TripSaver devices, which sense temporary abnormalities along power lines, such as a tree branch bouncing off lines, and automatically reenergize the line after the condition has passed without having to send a crew to investigate.

The work is part of JCP&L's New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project, a two-phase effort to enhance reliability for customers on high-priority lines selected based on historical outage data. The first phase includes a minimum of $95 million in upgrades over three years.

This project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's grid evolution program focused on investing $26 billion between 2024 and 2028 across its six-state footprint to create a smarter, more secure grid that delivers the power customers depend on today while also meeting the challenges of tomorrow.

JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on X @JCP_L, on Facebook at facebook.com/JCPandL or online at jcp-l.com.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp or online at firstenergycorp.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jcpl-making-overhead-and-underground-electrical-upgrades-in-northern-nj-302398539.html

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

FAQ

What is the cost and timeline of JCP&L's Northern NJ electrical upgrade project?

The project costs $5.1 million and will run for one year, with completion expected in November 2025.

How many customers will benefit from FirstEnergy's (FE) JCP&L infrastructure upgrades?

The project will benefit 1,700 customers across Roxbury, Mount Arlington, and Hopatcong in Northern New Jersey.

What specific improvements are included in JCP&L's 2025 infrastructure upgrade?

The upgrades include 2,000 ft of underground wires, enhanced tree trimming, stronger poles and overhead wires, protective devices, reclosers, and TripSaver devices.

How much is FirstEnergy (FE) investing in its Energize365 program from 2024 to 2028?

FirstEnergy is investing $26 billion across six states through its Energize365 grid evolution program from 2024 to 2028.

What is the total investment in JCP&L's New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project?

The first phase includes a minimum investment of $95 million in upgrades over three years.