Letter: Resident Supports PSE&G's Energy Strong Plan

John D. Luerssen says project will upgrade systems and create new jobs as well.

Six months ago Westfield was dealing with the struggles associated with Sandy’s aftermath. While the destruction from this Superstorm was devastating for some, all of Westfield was impacted in one way or another. Schools and many business were forced to close, gasoline was difficult to find and a great many of us sat without power for days. With its Energy Strong plan, PSE&G – our electric distribution company – wants to upgrade its systems to protect against storms like Sandy. Yet some consumer lobbying groups are against the plan. It surprises me just how quickly certain people have forgotten how much harm Sandy, not to mention Hurricane Irene and the freak October 2011 snow storm the year before, caused us all. PSE&G says it can make …

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Letter to the Editor: Support of PSE&G Initiative

The following letter to the editor was submitted by a Westfield resident.

To the Editor: As the thunderstorms rolled in last night, my thoughts turned back to Super Storm Sandy. As a 29-year resident of Westfield, I have never seen such destruction as that blown in by Sandy. About 90 percent of the town lost power. Sitting in the dark with no heat or electricity for six days was not pleasant. While I applaud PSE&G for restoring power as quickly as they did after this devastating storm, we need to take steps to protect against the next Sandy. Thankfully, PSE&G has come up with a plan to strengthen their electric grid called Energy Strong. They are ready to make major investments that will harden their systems against damage and reduce the impacts of the more frequent storms we are experiencing. The steps outlined…

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Update: Power Expected to be Restored by 2 p.m., Says PSE&G

Crews are on the scene of downed wires on Westfield Avenue and Grove Street.

This story was updated 12:10 p.m. to include comments from PSE&G spokesperson Kristine Snodgrass. Approximately 200 Westfield residents are without power Tuesday after wires came down near the intersection of Westfield Avenue and Grove Street. PSE&G spokesperson Kristine Snodgrass said crews are at the scene working on repairs and have made the area safe. She added that the cause of the downed wires was most likely weather-related. Power is expected to be restored by 2 p.m. today, Snodgrass said. Original: Some Westfield residents are without power Tuesday morning after a transformer blew on Westfield Avenue and Grove Street. Westfield Police and Fire Departments were at the scene shortly after 11 a.m. to block off the area. Patch has …

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PSE&G Prepares for Snowstorm With Extra Crews, Equipment

The utility company has also provided a number of tips for customers in the event of a power outage during the predicted nor'easter.

  The following information was provided by PSE&G in preparation for the Nor'Easter tomorrow. A blizzard warning is in effect for Union County, beginning at 6 a.m. on Friday: Additional crews and equipment on hand to restore service. As part of our ongoing efforts to keep customers informed during severe weather events, we are providing the following information: PSE&G is closely monitoring the track of the approaching nor'easter and is making emergency preparations should the storm bring heavy snow and strong winds to our service territory. At this time, the storm is expected to begin impacting New Jersey on Friday and continue through Saturday, with the full brunt of the storm hitting the area on Friday night. In anticipation of the …

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Hurricane Sandy

Got a Crooked Utility Pole from the Hurricane? Report It!

PSE&G wants to know where tilted and unstable utility poles are so they can be replaced.

The region took a battering from Hurricane Sandy, and that includes the sturdy wooden poles that hold up utility and telephone lines. More than a few crashed down in the hurricane's wake. Many more are leaning dangerously over to one side or another from the high winds.  PSE&G said since they began restoring service after the hurricane, they've replaced at least 2,500 utility poles and 1,000 transformers, as well as cut down more than 41,000 trees that were impairing their ability to get to electrical lines. If you have a crooked utility pole on your street, the company wants you to report it. Ralph LaRossa, the company's president and chief operating officer, said that anyone who notices a crooked utility pole should make it known to PSE…

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PSE&G Offers Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

The following information appears on the Town of Westfield's website.

PSE&G offered the following answers to frequently asked questions: Q.  Why are my neighbors back and I’m not?  A.  Homes very near to each other can be fed from different circuits. One of them may be damaged and not the other. It’s also possible that one part of a circuit is damaged while other sections are not. Circuits from a station usually have two sections. If one section is damaged, we can open a breaker to stop the flow of electricity to that section while keeping the other section in service. Q. I hardly ever lose power. Why am I out now?  A. These are conditions we haven’t experienced in decades. Damage to switching stations, the backbone of the system, was extensive, and there were unusual amounts of damage to the transmission …

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Hurricane Sandy

Power In Parts Of Union County Could Be Restored By This Evening

Some towns in Union County could have power as early as this evening.

Gov. Chris Christie today released revised power restoration plans received from the three major power utility companies in the state in order to create greater certainty, transparency and accountability for New Jerseyans. According to the plans, some sections of Union County that are still without power could have service restored as early as this evening. PSE&G, Jersey Central Power and Light and Atlantic City Electric provided plans at the governor's request to show restoration projections at the municipal level for the next two days  in order to give New Jersey households and businesses, who continue to be affected by power outages, greater certainty as to when their power needs will be met, according to a press release from the …

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No Estimates from PSE&G on Restoration

PSE&G is telling customers they won't have power back until Nov. 5.

PSE&G doesn’t know when you will have power. However, there is an explanation as to why you're told “Nov. 5” as the date to expect it back when you call the company's feedback line. Basically, the damage from Sandy was so great, the utility company simply doesn’t know. In fact, according to PSE&G's twitter feed, the company isn't even giving details on specific outages. “Hurricane Sandy has caused unprecedented damage, twice as much damage as Hurricane Irene.  Many of our facilities were flooded by coastal surges, water-logging our equipment and making our stations and facilities difficult to access,” said a statement from PSE&G. Under normal circumstances, PSE&G knows how long it takes to respond to reports of problems and restore service…

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Hurricane Sandy

PSE&G: More Than 10,000 Homes Without Power in Union County

Between 500 and 2,000 customers are without power in Westfield as wind and rain increase.

Residents all over Union County are reporting power outages, with between 500 and 2,000 customers in the dark now in Westfield as Hurricane Sandy blows into town, according to PSE&G.  Power on Woodland Avenue has been out since approximately 3:30 p.m. and residents in other areas of the north side are reporting outages as well.  To report an outage, PSE&G advises customers to call 1-800-436-PSEG (7734). According to PSE&G, 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 …

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