WEST WINDSOR: Power company outlines info improvements

By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
   WEST WINDSOR — Customers of Jersey Central Power and Light will now be able to access information regarding outages and other power-related information quicker and easier, just in time for the hurricane season.
   West Windsor is currently served by both Jersey Central and PSE&G, with Jersey Central customers residing east of Old Trenton Road.Gerry Ricciardi, a spokesperson for Jersey Central, attended the June 25 council meeting to update the council and residents on the company’s communication improvements.
   Mr. Ricciardi said Jersey Central has been developing better ways to provide its information since the widespread power outages brought on by hurricane Irene in September 2011.
   Jersey Central has revamped its website, www.firstenergycorp.com, which Mr. Ricciardi described as a “24-hour power center.” This power center now allows users to see all power outages in the system at any time. The website now divides outages by counties, which locates areas without power more accurately.
   ”It used to be that outages were divided by zip codes, but zip codes can go across multiple municipalities,” said Mr. Ricciardi. “We wanted each individual municipality to know what’s going on its town.”
   Customers can also now go on Twitter and “follow” Jersey Central at @JCP_L to find out about significant power outages. Since the launch, they have surpassed 2,000 followers.
   Mr. Ricciardi also talked about Jersey Central’s long-term improvements, many of which have replaced faxing with social media. Users will soon be able to visit YouTube to check out what the company is doing with power restoration. The company also started a Facebook page and plan on having more smart phone applications.
   The company now sends more information to town officials and administrators via email, who will then be able to disseminate the information to their residents.
   Councilman George Borek, a representative of the League of Municipalities of the Emergency Management Committee, emphasized it would be a help for township officials to have this information.
   ”We may not have the answers of when the lights are going to go on, but certainly sharing that information has become a focal point of all energy companies in New Jersey,” said Mr. Borek.
   Mr. Ricciardi also met with Police Chief Joseph Pica to give him a detailed map of the area Jersey Central covers and to give him, along with all the council members, then company and his personal contact information.
   ”I’m my company’s problem solver,” said Mr. Ricciardi, a resident of Hamilton Township. “I’m a local guy who is available to each and every one of you whenever you need me.”
   Despite the enhanced communications efforts, Mr. Ricciardi emphasized the importance for individual residents to call the company when their power goes out so they could send assistance. He explained that the company only knows when a whole circuit goes out. For example if 10 to 20 houses on a circuit of 1,200 were to go out of power, those houses would go undetected.
   Councilman Bryan Maher questioned Jersey Central’s technology, asking why the company didn’t have infrastructure in place that would tell it when individuals are out of power too.
   Mr. Ricciardi explained there is technology like Smart Meters, which track energy use in individual buildings, but that it would be a $1 million investment and that the company is not at that point yet.
   ”You should make that investment so that you know when those 10 to 20 houses are out of power and not leave it up to the individual homeowner to run out and make a phone call,” said Mr. Maher. “It’s worth it to make a couple few million dollars investment so you know when the power is out.”
   The councilman also suggested the company advertise for their customers to contact them directly with power issues via bold letters on their notices and letters.
   Mr. Ricciardi said the company would take Mr. Maher’s suggestions into consideration.
   To address potential outages caused by the flooding of the company’s sub station, Mr. Ricciardi said they have already installed floodwalls around the control center in preparation of future storms and hurricanes.
   He also emphasized the importance for homeowners to check out safety tips regarding generator installation, which he said could often be found on town websites.
   Mr. Borek said in the future, there would be a meeting with the League of Municipalities’s Emergency Management Committee and Jersey Central to further discuss the power issues on a larger scale.