Company offers tips for customers to manage
seasonal heating bills
HOLMDEL, N.J., Dec. 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central
Power & Light (JCP&L), a FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE)
subsidiary, has completed proactive work to prepare the electric
grid in its 3,200-square-mile service area to keep customers' power
flowing through the cold winter months.
The work, which includes preventive maintenance and inspections
of key equipment, vehicles and the environment surrounding the
lines, ensures that the system is ready for the increased demand
brought on by colder temperatures and heavy snow, ice and winds
that can damage poles, wires and substation equipment during winter
storms.
Jim Fakult, president,
JCP&L: "Our goal is keeping our customers safe, warm
and comfortable this winter by providing the reliable electric
service they need to meet this season's demands. We don't know what
Mother Nature has up her sleeve in the coming months, but we're
preparing our system and employees for whatever may come our
way."
Seasonal preparations included:
- Winterizing substation buildings that house remote-controlled
equipment.
- Tuning up heating equipment for substation components to ensure
cold weather doesn't lead to equipment malfunctions.
- Inspecting batteries used to power electrical devices that can
sense abnormal conditions in the system as well as the motors that
operate switches to isolate those problems.
- Conducting equipment inspections using high-tech thermal
imaging cameras to look for hardware problems and potential
"hotspots," or weakened areas in the lines.
- Inspecting transmission lines using a helicopter in areas not
visible from the ground.
- Servicing company bucket trucks and other vehicles to help
ensure safe operations during the winter season, with special
emphasis placed on the condition of tires and air braking systems,
which can freeze up if moisture is present.
- Inspecting snow chains and snow removal equipment to ensure
safe access to work sites.
Tree trimming throughout the
year also helps reinforce the power system ahead of
the winter season by maintaining proper clearances around
electrical equipment and helping to protect against tree-related
outages caused by ice and heavy, wet snow on
branches. JCP&L's tree contractors have completed trimming
work along 2,792 miles of electric lines to date this year, and
they are on track to complete an additional 629 miles of tree
trimming by the end of December.
Beyond infrastructure maintenance, JCP&L employees also
participated in readiness exercises and drills throughout the year
to test the company's restoration process used to address winter
storm-related power outages. With a core focus on safety, company
leadership also reviews cold-weather safety procedures with field
employees, including tips to traverse slippery conditions and help
ensure safe arrival at work sites. Crews are also reminded to
hydrate and take frequent breaks in warm trucks to avoid frostbite
and maintain sharp mental focus.
Cold Weather Tips for Customers
Customers can review tips to prepare in advance for severe
weather, and view restoration updates if storms do cause power
outages, by visiting FirstEnergy's 24/7 Power Center
at firstenergycorp.com/outages.
With the winter storm season also comes frigid temperatures and
rising energy costs. Customers can take steps to keep their homes
comfortable while managing their electricity bill this cold season.
The following tips can help customers use electricity wisely during
this period of high demand:
- Seal any leaks around windows and door frames with caulk or
weather stripping to prevent cold air from sneaking into your
home.
- Close the fireplace damper when it is not in use to keep cold
air out.
- Close the drapes at night. During the day, only open those that
receive direct sunlight.
- Check furnace fan filters. Clogged filters waste energy and
money by forcing a heating system to work harder than
necessary.
- Make sure your home is properly insulated. If you have less
than six inches of insulation, you'll benefit by adding more.
- Payment arrangements and assistance programs are available for
customers who need help with their electric bills. For more
information, visit firstenergycorp.com/billassist.
- More energy efficiency tips as well as no-fee energy efficiency
kits, home energy analyzers and the details of JCP&L's other
regulated energy efficiency programs can be found at
energysavenj.com.
JCP&L serves customers 1.1. million customers in
New Jersey in the counties of
Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union
and Warren. Follow JCP&L on X, formerly known as Twitter,
@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 10 electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving 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.
Editor's note: Photos of workers conducting inspections
to enhance service reliability for JCP&L customers are
available for download on Flickr.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.