'Multi-Day' Restoration For Power In Howell: JCP&L

HOWELL, NJ — Crews were making gains in restoring power to the thousands of Howell homes and businesses left without electricity after Monday's storm.

Howell bore the brunt of it in Monmouth County, with dozens of trees down, roads blocked and homes damaged. By late Tuesday, about 6,500 homes remained without electrical service, down from more than 18,000 at its peak.

However, those final homes may be waiting for at least a few days to get it back, as Jersey Central Power & Light confirmed Tuesdaythat it likely will be a "multi-day restoration." By Tuesday night it said power should be restored by Friday evening.

"Based on the severity of the damage and the number of damage locations, this will be a multi-day restoration," JCP&L said on its Twitter account. Winds in excess of 70 mph caused significant tree and equipment damage across Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington counties.

Howell Township has set up a place for residents to charge electronics, on the second foor at the township Municipal Building, 4567 Route 9 North, in the main meeting room.

The damage included the roof being ripped off the dugout at Howell High School.

The power outages forced officials to cancel summer camp, as schools in the township, which are used for the camp programs, were affected.

"We continue to assess damage and clear hazards as part of our efforts to safely restore customers who remain without power following last night's storm," JCP&L said. "We understand estimated times of restoration (ETR) are important to help customers make contingency plans during significant power outages. Crews continue to evaluate damage and build their work plans, and we will provide ETRs as soon as possible."

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden urged residents to drive with caution as numerous traffic signals remained out in the county, where 93,000 were without power overall.

"Lights remain out and debris on roadways has lead to road closures. Remember to adhere to road closures and stop/utilize caution at intersections where traffic lights are out," the Monmouth County sheriff's office said on Facebook.

Howell Township police on Monday night urged residents to help each other out and to stay off the roads because of downed trees, power lines and debris.

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