The Trenton Times published the following article on February 13, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Mercer County Freeholders to demand JCP&L improve service

By Jenna Pizzi/The Times of Trenton 
on February 13, 2013 at 8:15 PM

Raising concerns about the inability to get a response from Jersey Central Power & Light in the wake of a major storm, freeholders are expected to vote tonight to approve a resolution asking that the utility be forced to invest in infrastructure and work to improve communication with customers.

According to the resolution, the board said that Mercer County residents became “frustrated and dismayed by JCP&L’s poor communication and its overall lack of leadership and supervision of repair efforts that led to unnecessary delays and long response times.”

Freeholders asked for an additional resolution to be added to the agenda during tonight’s meeting, which would encourage the New Jersey Rate Council to intervene against an application the power company has made seeking to increase rates.

Board members complained that after Tropical Storm Irene, JCP&L was slow to respond to customers and after that were assured by representatives from the company that they had improved tools necessary to increase response and improve communications.

During Hurricane Sandy and an October snowstorm, the company continued to lag behind, officials said. West Windsor passed a similar resolution recently.

Township attorney Michael Herbert said that the other power company that serves the county, Public Service Electric & Gas, probably took just as long to restore power to its customers, but had more open communication with municipal officials and therefore fewer complaints.

“They have not been responsive about when the power would be back,” Herbert said.
Herbert said he and the board would like to see JCP&L invest in its infrastructure as well.
“They still have not upgraded,” Herbert said. “Meanwhile, they have raked in profits.”

JCP&L spokesman Ron Morano said the power company has met with officials around the state following Hurricane Sandy in an effort to improve its system of relaying information to customers.

Those improvements include issuing maps of its circuit routes, beefing up field offices to address local concerns, and holding teleconferences with town officials, he said.

The freeholder board was expected to vote to approve the resolution unanimously.