'Animal Contact' Knocks Out Power To 1,900 In Point Pleasant, Bay Head

POINT PLEASANT, NJ — A power outage Tuesday morning that affected traffic signals and homes in Point Pleasant and Bay Head was caused by an animal, a power company spokesman said.

The power outage, which lasted less than an hour, knocked out service to more than 1,900 homes and businesses served by Jersey Central Power & Light in parts of Point Pleasant, Bay Head and a sliver of Point Pleasant Beach.

It was caused by "animal contact at the substation," said Christopher Hoenig, a spokesman for First Energy, the parent company of JCP&L.

Hoenig did not have specifics on what kind of animal caused the outage.

"Squirrels like substations, though we’ve made it much harder for them to get into the equipment," he said.

Service was restored by 11:37 a.m., he said.