Business & Tech

JCP&L Boasts Improved Power Outage Maps

Utility company says new maps will also be available via smart phone and other mobile devices.

FirstEnery Corp., which operates Jersey Central Power & Light, launched new maps on its website Thursday that allow New Jersey residents to search for power outages by state, county and zip code.

The Ohio-based utility company said in a release that the new color-coded maps include links to allow customers to report service interruptions and provide tables showing county-by-county outage totals.

FirstEnergy added that the maps are accessible via smart phones and other mobile devices.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The maps also boast prominent alerts with links to outage-related news, safety reminders and other information, FirstEnergy said.

Later in the year, the maps are expected to include more detailed estimated restoration time during large-scale weather events, and the ability for customers to receive outage communication updates via text message and email, FirstEnergy said.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The utility company said customers should report outages in their area by calling 888-554-4877 or to use the "Report an Outage" link on its website.

Read the full release below.

Akron, Ohio – With heavy snow, rain and high winds expected to cause power interruptions in some areas served by FirstEnergy Corp.’s (NYSE: FE) utilities, customers now can view timely, accurate, and easy-to-use outage information through the company’s new online outage maps.

FirstEnergy’s “24/7 Power Center” maps are accessible on desktops, smart phones and mobile devices. The user-friendly system features industry-leading mapping technology to quickly search for power outages by state, county, community or zip code. The maps also include links that allow customers to report service interruptions.

The new interactive maps use color coding to provide a quick snapshot of the number of customers affected by power outages across FirstEnergy’s Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, New York and West Virginia service areas, and allow customers to easily zoom in to access local outage information from their utility. In addition to the maps, outage reports are also available in an easy-to-read table format that show county- by-county totals.

During major storm events or other emergencies, the maps will feature a prominent alert with links to outage-related news, safety reminders, and other important information.

To make the 24/7 Power Center maps even more customer-friendly, additional enhancements are planned later this year, including more detailed estimated restoration times during large-scale weather events, and the ability for customers to receive outage communications updates via text messaging and email.

The maps can be accessed from the FirstEnergy website – firstenergycorp.com/outages – and are also available from each of the 10 operating company websites.

When the power goes out, it’s important that customers report the outage to their operating company by calling 888-LIGHTSS (888-544-4877). Or, customers can use the “Report an Outage” link on FirstEnergy’s outage web page.

During significant service interruptions, outage information is also available via the company’s Twitter accounts. A list of all accounts is available here: www.firstenergycorp.com/newsroom/social_media.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies – Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company, Toledo Edison, Pennsylvania Power, Pennsylvania Electric Company, Metropolitan Edison Company, West Penn Power, Jersey Central Power & Light, Potomac Edison and Mon Power – comprise one of the nation's largest investor- owned electric systems. Its diverse generating fleet features non-emitting nuclear, scrubbed baseload coal, natural gas, and pumped-storage hydro and other renewables, and has a total generating capacity of nearly 23,000 megawatts.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here