Warren Officials Express Displeasure Over JCP&L's Storm Response

WARREN, NJ — The Warren Mayor and Township Committee expressed their displeasure to JCP&L's Tropical Storm Isaias response as many residents were left without power for 5 days or more.

"I feel that it takes too long for Jersey Central Power & Light to mobilize. And by the time the storm hits we are looking for results," Committeeman Gary P. DiNardo said at the Thursday Township Committee meeting.

"Some of our utilities need more than just a spanking on the hand," Mayor Mick Marion said. "They need to be accountable to their customers and that is an issue we need to focus on."

Tropical Storm Isaias hit the area on Aug. 4 bringing heavy rain and high winds. More than 4,000 PSE&G and JCP&L customers were without power on the first day. Read More: 4K Lose Power In Warren, Restoration Not Expected For Days

Marion noted how the storm, specifically the high wind, caused a "significant" amount of damage to the township.

Many large trees fell damaging transformers and substations, Marion said.

The township's Office of Emergency Management and the Police Department responded immediately and did an "unbelievable" job, Warren officials said.

Yet while Warren did its part, DiNardo said, "if the [utility] trucks don't get here to do the service, we are kind of stuck spinning our wheels a little bit and that's what makes me frustrated."

DiNardo said he didn't have power for 5 days and would make trips to the homes of older residents who are on oxygen machines.

"I would bring generators and keep going back to fill them up with gas every day and after four or five days I am exhausted," DiNardo said. "Even though the [Board of Public Utilities] has all of the power and we don't, we still need to hold them accountable.

JCP&L understands the frustration people without power had, JCP&L spokesman Clifford Cole said.

Cole noted that Isaias rose to the level of Hurricane Sandy in terms of the damage left behind. More than 8,000 JCP&L crew members worked to bring power back to customers in the state since the storm on Aug. 4.

"Our crews were working to restore power as quickly as they could," Cole said. "They had large amounts of damage with large trees in the area coming down on electrical equipment."

Within 72 hours, JCP&L was able to restore power to 80 percent of its customers and all customers by Aug. 10, according to Cole.

Moving forward Marion said he is waiting on a report from the township's OEM to dictate what happened during the storm and where they go from here to avoid this situation in the future.

JCP&L also said they will be participating in a review process with the state and BPU to go over what they did well and what they can improve on.

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