Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has begun upgrading a high-voltage transmission line in Hunterdon, Morris and Warren counties in New Jersey. The project will improve system reliability for more than 3,000 customers served by the line.
The approximately $6 million project will include the installation of 53 new wood pole structures that will fortify and strengthen the line and help prevent unplanned outages in the future. JCP&L replaced 12 structures along the line in 2022 and plans to install the balance of the new wood poles by the end of 2023.
The 115-kilovolt transmission line runs 40 miles northeast from a substation in Hunterdon County to a substation in Morris County and spans the communities of Milford in Hunterdon County; Budd Lake and Flanders in Morris County; and Belvidere, Hackettstown, Oxford Township, Phillipsburg and White Township in Warren County.
"The installation of this new infrastructure will create a more resilient line that can better withstand the effects of severe weather and continue to deliver safe, reliable power for our customers," said Jim Fakult, president of New Jersey operations for FirstEnergy.
The project is part of Energizing the Future, a multi-year initiative designed to upgrade FirstEnergy's transmission system with advanced equipment and technologies that will reinforce the power grid and help reduce the frequency and duration of customer outages. Since 2014, FirstEnergy has upgraded or replaced existing power lines, incorporated smart technology into the grid and upgraded dozens of substations with new equipment and enhanced security features. Through 2022, FirstEnergy has invested more than $10 billion in the Energizing the Future initiative across its service territories.
