TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Small but growing power outages were reported across portions of Ocean County Wednesday morning as another day of dangerous heat settled over New Jersey. According to Jersey Central Power & Light’s outage map, approximately 200 customers were without electricity across the utility’s service territory as temperatures continued to rise.
While the outages remain limited compared with last week’s widespread failures, they come as the National Weather Service warns heat index values could reach as high as 107 degrees across parts of the state.
Ocean County outages under investigation
JCP&L reported scattered outages in several Ocean County communities, including Jackson Township, Toms River and Lavallette.
In Jackson-Millstone, fewer than 20 customers were without power, with a crew on scene investigating the cause and an estimated restoration time of 10 a.m. Toms River also reported fewer than 20 customers affected, with a crew dispatched to investigate and restoration estimated by 11 a.m.
Lavallette experienced an outage affecting fewer than 20 customers that JCP&L attributed to equipment damage. Utility officials reported a crew had arrived at the scene, with service expected to be restored by 10 a.m.
Grid reliability remains in focus
The scattered outages follow last week’s intense heat wave, when prolonged high temperatures contributed to widespread power interruptions that affected hundreds of thousands of New Jersey customers. In some communities, residents were without electricity for several days during dangerous heat.
Utility crews remain on standby across the state as demand for air conditioning increases throughout the day. Additional outages are possible if equipment is stressed by continued high temperatures and heavy electrical usage.
Residents are encouraged to monitor utility outage maps, conserve electricity when possible during peak demand hours, and report outages directly to their electric provider.
Related: Jersey Central Power & Light, Ocean County power outages, Jackson Township, Toms River, Lavallette, Extreme Heat Warning, New Jersey weather
