TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River residents are celebrating President’s Day Weekend the same way Abraham Lincoln and George Washington did, without power.
As high winds swept through Ocean County this evening, Toms River found itself grappling once again with widespread power outages, leaving approximately 6,000 homes in the dark.
Many traffic lights, including those at the critical intersection of Whitesville Road and Cox Cro Road, have gone out of commission, causing chaos on the roads when many are enjoying their holiday weekend.
Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, reported the outages that began shortly before the peak of the evening rush hour. The utility company is currently working to restore power, but with winds still gusting, the situation remains fluid.
This incident comes on the heels of mounting frustration with JCP&L’s service reliability. Ocean County officials have previously threatened legal action against FirstEnergy and JCP&L due to repeated service disruptions.
In January, Ocean County Commissioner Frank Sadeghi proposed a $1 billion lawsuit against the utility company following another cold morning power outage that left thousands without electricity. This proposal was part of a broader complaint about chronic service issues in the region.
Adding to the tension, Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the utility company’s performance. Rodrick has discussed an ordinance with the township council that would impose fines on power companies for outages exceeding the national average.
He highlighted that Toms River experiences outages monthly, which he described as “out of control.”
“The national average for outages is about 1.4 per year, but here in Toms River, we see multiple outages,” Mayor Rodrick stated in earlier discussions. He proposed a fine of $100,000 per outage above this baseline, emphasizing the financial strain on residents who pay substantial amounts to JCP&L monthly, especially with the announced rate increases for 2025.
Residents have echoed these sentiments, particularly those in senior communities where power is not just a convenience but a necessity for medical equipment and heating. The outages tonight have reignited these concerns, with many residents taking to social media to vent their frustrations and share experiences of being left in the dark.
JCP&L has responded to past criticisms by asserting their commitment to enhancing infrastructure to improve service reliability.
Spokesman Chris Hoenig had previously stated, “JCP&L continues to invest in our infrastructure along the Jersey Shore to enhance service reliability.”
However, tonight’s widespread outages have once again put their efforts under scrutiny.
As the community braces for a potentially long night without power, local authorities are advising residents to treat any intersection with non-functioning traffic lights as a four-way stop for safety. Toms River police are on heightened alert to manage traffic and respond to any emergencies that might arise from the darkened conditions.