JERSEY SHORE – Jersey Central Power & Light will spend $108 million over the next three years to reinforce and modernize Ocean County’s electric system as the region experiences rapid population growth and rising energy demands.
The utility, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., said Ocean County added nearly 30,000 residents since 2020, while developers have sought more than 50 megawatts of new electric connections in the past year alone. Company officials say the surge has outpaced typical forecasting models.
“Ocean County is growing at a pace that traditional formulas can’t keep up with,” said Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy’s New Jersey president. “We’re taking a fresh approach to improving reliability now and meeting power demand for years to come.”
Upgrades Underway This Year
About $21 million in work is expected to be completed in 2025. That includes adding two transformers and upgrading a third at a local substation to boost capacity for homes and businesses. The added flexibility will also allow crews to reroute electricity during outages, speeding up restoration.
JCP&L is also strengthening lines in several towns:
Lakewood: More than three miles of wire along South Hope Chapel Road, Brook Road and Ocean Avenue will be replaced with higher-capacity lines. Additional underground cables will be installed in Leisure Village.
Jackson: Larger wire is being installed on South Hope Chapel Road and Brewers Bridge Road, along with a new line near Six Flags Great Adventure. Automatic transfer devices will help move customers to unaffected circuits during outages.
Toms River: Equipment north of Route 37 will be relocated to safer areas. New switching devices are planned to improve service in Leisure Village, Manchester and Lakehurst.
More Projects Planned Through 2028
From 2026 to 2028, another $29 million will be invested through the New Jersey Reliability Improvement Project, aimed at reinforcing lines that have experienced recurring problems. Work will include sturdier poles and wiring in Lakehurst, Manchester, Berkeley and Lacey.
An additional $58 million in upgrades is planned under EnergizeNJ, a BPU-approved initiative focused on resilience and modernization. Projects include new power lines, more than 200 TripSaver devices that can restore service after momentary faults, expanded automatic transfer equipment and upgrades at substations, particularly in coastal areas vulnerable to salt exposure.
The improvements are part of FirstEnergy’s wider Energize365 strategy, a multiyear plan to invest $28 billion in grid modernization between 2025 and 2029. The company says the effort aims to build a more dependable and flexible electric system to support both current and future growth.
