Hurricane passed thru Saturday night and Sunday AM. Most rain stopped at about 9 AM Sunday, Aug 28th.
Subject: PSE&G Alert: Hurricane Update
Date: Sun Aug 28th, 2011 10:04 AM EDT
  • Many of the outages are caused by falling trees and limbs, which bring down power lines. Downed wires should always be considered "live." STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES. Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything that it might be in contact with. To report a downed wire and other visible equipment damage, call 1-800-436-PSEG and tell PSE&G the nearest cross street.
  • To report a power outage, call PSE&G's Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG.
    - In addition to widespread electric outages, PSE&G expects the heavy rain and predicted storm surge to result in gas outages. Water could enter the utility's gas distribution system, as well as flood customers' basements and gas appliances. Customers are reminded to call PSE&G to report gas odors, and contact their local fire department and municipal construction office to receive assistance in pumping the water out of their basements.

    - Electric crews work to restore power to the largest numbers of customers first, taking into account "priority" customers, such as hospitals, police stations, fire stations, water and sewer facilities, communications facilities (TV, radio, and telephone), and customers on life-sustaining medical equipment. At the same time, the utility restores power to homes and businesses, starting with the circuits serving the largest number of customers.

  • Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com.
    General outage activity throughout our service territory is available online at www.pseg.com/outagecenter and updates are posted on pseg.com (Click on Hurricane Information) during severe weather.

  • We have activated our Twitter page to keep the public informed about our restoration progress. Sign up as a follower at twitter.com/psegoutageinfo.

PSE&G Hurricane Irene Update: Aug. 28, 2011 8:04 PM EDT

Approximately 392,000 PSE&G customers are without power at this time statewide. The number of outages continues to climb as flooding impacts the region. PSE&G has 6,000 employees supporting the restoration effort including 840 PSE&G linemen, 270 out-of-state linemen, an additional 50 crews that have now joined the effort from Ohio, and 540 tree contractors. The crews are working around the clock. There are over 300,000 customers out and customers should be prepared for potentially lengthy outages of up to seven days. Those outages due to flooding will take the longest to restore. In addition to widespread electric outages, the heavy rain and storm surge may result in gas outages. Water could enter the utility's gas distribution system, as well as flood customers' basements and gas appliances. Customers are reminded to call PSE&G to report gas odors and to contact their local municipal officials for direction and assistance in pumping water out of their basements.

To report a power outage, call PSE&G's Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG (7734). Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com. General outage activity throughout our service territory is available online at www.pseg.com/outagecenter and updates are posted on pseg.com during severe weather. Crews work to restore power to the largest numbers of customers first, taking into account "priority" customers, such as hospitals, police stations, fire stations, water and sewer facilities, communications facilities (TV, radio, and telephone), and customers on life-sustaining medical equipment. At the same time, the utility restores power to homes and businesses, starting with the circuits serving the largest number of customers.

FLOODED BASEMENTS
Flooded basements can pose a genuine safety risk. Customers should be cautious:

  • If they lose electricity and their basement is flooded, notify PSE&G (1-800-436-PSEG (7734) and call their municipality. Stay away from the breaker box if it's in a flooded basement. And don't go into a flooded basement if energized wires are present.
  • If water is rising to the height of any gas appliance, the gas supply to the appliance should be turned off. If customers are unable to do so, they should contact PSE&G or their local police or fire department for assistance. To restore gas service to appliances call PSE&G (1-800-436-7734) and have the appliances checked for safety and restored to proper operation.
  • Customers should call PSE&G (1-800-436-PSEG (7734) immediately if they smell gas.
GENERATORS
Customers who use portable electric generators should carefully read and follow the manual that came with it. Be sure your generator is UL-approved, installed by a licensed electrician and inspected by your local electrical inspector. There must be a way to physically disconnect your generator from utility lines. Customers who improperly install, operate or maintain a generator are responsible for any injury or damage suffered by themselves, their neighbors or utility workers.

PSEG WEB SITE
Customers who have power or access to a handheld device are encouraged to go to the utility's home page at www.pseg.com and click onto the Hurricane Information icon for tips on outage safety, flooding and other storm related information. We have activated our Twitter page to keep the public informed about our restoration progress. Sign up as a follower at twitter.com/psegoutageinfo.


Monday, August 29, 2011 10:13 PM
  • Electricity is back on for more than 563,000 customers, while work continues to restore about 147,000 customers statewide. The company expects the majority of these customers to be restored within 24 to 48 hours, with the remaining customers within the next 4 to 6 days.
  • While the sun is now shining, restoration efforts remain complex. Hurricane Irene posed a direct hit to PSE&G's service territory with both wind and flooding. In addition to downed trees and wires, flooding has created major restoration challenges, especially in counties like Bergen, Middlesex, Somerset and Union.
  • Employees are drying and cleaning flooded substations so they can restore circuits, but some rivers in New Jersey have not yet crested. Also, flood waters are preventing employees from entering a number of other areas. Customers, particularly in flooded areas, should be prepared for lengthy outages until flood waters recede and crews can safely enter.

PSE&G Hurricane Irene Update: Sept. 1, 2011

Outage update -
Fewer than 4,800 PSE&G customers remain without service at this time due to Hurricane Irene. The outages are scattered throughout the company's service territory. Having restored service to circuits that serve large numbers of customers, crews are now completing the isolated complex problems, such as where trees that have fallen across wires and pulled down poles have to be removed, the poles replaced, and the wires and other equipment reconnected and energized. These problems are affecting small pockets of customers. Expected restoration update - Most PSE&G customers can expect to have their service restored today and tomorrow:

  • Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer CountiesĀ this eveningĀ 
  • Essex and Passaic Counties sometime tomorrow morning
  • Bergen and Hudson Counties by early evening tomorrow
  • Restoration for customers in Middlesex, Somerset and Union Counties is expected by Sunday.
There will be scattered customers in flood areas whose restoration will be later as it is dependent on the recession of flood waters and safety inspections by municipal authorities.
More than 798,000 customers have had their power restored.

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