By KENNY WALTER
Staff Writer
RED BANK – Jersey Central Power and Lighting (JCP&L) has proposed enhancing service and modernizing the electrical system in Monmouth County with a $75 million project to add a third transmission line between Red Bank and Aberdeen.
The proposal, which is dubbed the Monmouth County Reliability Project, will include a new, nearly 10-mile, 230-kV transmission line and substation enhancements along N.J. Transit’s North Jersey Coastline that will benefit approximately 214,000 power customers.
“We know customers are expecting more from their electric utility, and it’s our responsibility to deliver the power they need when they need it,” said Tony Hurley, vice president of operations at JCP&L. “The Monmouth County Reliability Project will help us provide the consistent, reliable electricity our customers depend on in their daily lives.
“We look forward to working with the community to ensure the project results in minimal impacts and maintains the unique beauty of our area.”
Ron Morano, senior public relations representative for JCP&L, said the $75 million project was originally proposed more than 25 years ago. The transmission line will begin at a substation in Aberdeen and will follow the N.J. Transit corridor right-of-way through Hazlet, Holmdel and Middletown before ending at the substation in Red Bank.
The company, which is a subsidiary of First Energy, asserts that the upgrades will allow JCP&L to better monitor and react quicker to power needs with modern technology that delivers real-time information about system conditions. Sleek monopoles will be used for the proposed transmission line, rather than the bulky lattice-style towers that were used in the past.
“It is going to improve reliability because it provides another power source for the area and new technology that will help reduce the length and frequency of service disruptions,” Morano said.
The project will provide approximately 245 temporary jobs during construction.
The N.J. Board of Public Utilities and N.J. Department of Environmental Protection will also need to sign off on the project. If approved, construction is expected to begin in June 2017, with a planned in-service date of June 2019.
According to Morano, a formal application is expected to be submitted by the end of June.
The plan calls for the new transmission line to be built on an existing public-use right-of-way on land already containing electrical equipment, which will limit the impact on the local communities during construction, according to the power company.
Morano said the public will also be notified of any upcoming work.
“JCP&L will do everything it can to minimize disruptions,” he said. “We are working currently in several other communities on transmissions projects, and what we do is work proactively to notify the communities about the work that will be taking place.
“We always make sure that we take every opportunity that we can to minimize any inconvenience to customers.”
JCP&L will host a series of face-to-face open house events in neighborhoods near the proposed project to share more information and gather feedback from interested parties. Additional details also are available online at www.monmouthreliability.com.
The project is part of JCP&L’s multi-year, $250 million “Energizing the Future” transmission system reliability enhancement program.
JCP&L serves 1.1 million New Jersey customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren.