MORRISTOWN, N.J., Nov. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) continues to make progress, restoring power to 50 percent of 1.2 million customers affected by Hurricane Sandy.

More than 600,000 customers have had power restored in the 96 hours since the passing of the storm.  An additional 125,000 are expected to be restored tomorrow.

Some 6,200 professionals, including 3,200 linemen and 1,400 forestry workers, are focused on restoring power to the remaining customers.

Crews have been active in all regions of the JCP&L service territory, including major work in Monmouth, Morris, and Ocean counties.  In Warren County, JCP&L forestry crews were assisted by a convoy from the National Guard to cut and remove trees from roads. 

Most of the remaining customers will be restored by Wednesday, November 7.  Customers in harder-hit areas can expect to be restored throughout the following week. In some areas where roads, infrastructure, homes and businesses were destroyed, restoration is impossible.

Crews have repaired transmission lines that feed local substations.  Aerial patrols continue to assess damage.  Priorities continue to be restoring power to key locations, including police and fire departments, water and sewage treatment plants, hospitals, schools, and fueling stations.

"Hurricane Sandy destroyed nearly all of JCP&L's electric circuits.  Thousands of people continue working day and night to restore power and we appreciate our customers' patience," said Don Lynch, President of JCP&L.  "Everyone at JCP&L understands the hardships of extended power outages.  Our growing army of restoration crews, the largest in our history, is hard at work to bring power back both quickly and safely."

Hurricane Sandy caused widespread destruction in the JCP&L service area.  More than 600 utility poles have been damaged and replaced.  More than 21,000 trees have been cut and already removed from JCP&L equipment since the hurricane struck New Jersey on Monday.  Crews are replacing approximately 2,700 sections of wire and 200 transformers.

Go to https://www.firstenergycorp.com/content/customer/outages_help/Sandy/njoutagescounty.html for a county-by-county list outlining the number of JCP&L customers who remain without power, how many have been restored, and how many were affected by power outages from Hurricane Sandy.

As debris from the storm is being cleared, customers are cautioned never to touch downed lines.  Customers should always assume downed wires are carrying electricity and are reminded to keep children and pets away from them.  Downed wires should be reported immediately to your electric company or local police or fire department.  Customers should never try to remove trees or limbs from power lines because they could conduct electricity.  They should wait for emergency services or utility crews to arrive.

To report an outage, customers should call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) – it's the fastest way to begin the restoration process.  Customers are reminded that even if they do not see crews working in their neighborhood, work could be under way at a nearby substation or other location that serves the neighborhood.  The priority for restoration starts with emergency services, including hospitals, police, fire and first aid.  Priority is also given to circuits serving the largest number of customers, followed by restoration of service to individual homes.

Customers with mobile devices can obtain updated information on current outages,

FirstEnergy's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe.  Customers are urged to visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages.  Or follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L and Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL for the latest information.

To ensure the safety of the home's occupants as well as that of utility company employees who may be working on power lines in the area, the proper generator should be selected and installed by a qualified electrician.  When operating a generator, always disconnect the power coming into your home.  Otherwise, power from your generator could be sent back onto the utility company lines, creating a hazardous situation for utility workers.

For updated information on hurricane restoration news, current outages, FirstEnergy's storm restoration process and tips for staying safe after a storm, go to www.firstenergycorp.com.

JCP&L is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE).  JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in 13 New Jersey counties.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia.  Its generation subsidiaries control more than 20,000 megawatts of capacity from a diversified mix of scrubbed coal, non-emitting nuclear, natural gas, hydro, pumped-storage hydro and other renewables. 

Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.