Storm Knocks Out Power To Hundreds In Monmouth

FREEHOLD, NJ -- Friday morning’s wet, heavy snow was blamed for power outages that left hundreds of Monmouth County residents without electric service, some for much of the day.

The Jersey Central Power & Light outage map showed more than a dozen small outages still remaining as of 3:45 p.m., as crews worked to restore service. Two large outages in the Freehold areas that affected more than 1,500 customers each, had been repaired.

The power outages started about 9 a.m., as the snow that had been falling since about 5 a.m. began to accumulate on wires and trees as well as the roads.

JCP&L estimated that most of the outages will be repaired by about 6:30 p.m.

EARLIER:

An equipment failure has knocked out the electricity to more than 1,500 customers in the Freehold area, according to Jersey Central Power & Light’s outage map, one of several dozen outages in Monmouth County Friday.

The majority of the outages are very localized, affecting 20 customers or fewer but there are quite a few of them, affecting almost every area of Monmouth County.

The Freehold area has about a dozen reported outages. The Middletown area has about 10 outages and the Hazlet-Matawan area shows about a dozen reports as of 10 a.m.

The snow that began falling shortly before 5 a.m. is a heavy, wet snow that is accumulating even on the thinnest tree branches and wires.

JCP&L is attributing most of the outages to “inclement weather” and has estimated power will be restored by 6:30 p.m.