NEWARK, N.J., Jan. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Service
Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is preparing for the
approaching storm that could bring more than a foot of snow and
near blizzard conditions for parts of its service territory Monday
night and into Tuesday.
In anticipation of the storm, PSE&G is taking the following
steps to ensure that the utility is ready to respond to resulting
power outages:
- Scheduling all available personnel so they are ready to respond
beginning Monday.
- Arranging for contractors, including tree crews, to assist the
utility's own skilled workforce.
- Reaching out for 100 additional mutual assistance linemen.
- Ensuring that additional supplies, such as poles, transformers
and other pole-top equipment, are on hand.
- Refueling all vehicles.
- Testing generators at utility locations.
- Coordinating with county and municipal emergency management
personnel to inform them of outages and expedite restoration
efforts.
"While snow by itself doesn't normally pose a serious problem,
heavy snow and strong winds can increase the possibility of downed
wires and power outages," said John
Latka, PSE&G senior vice president for electric and gas
operations. "These conditions will also make it difficult for our
crews to get around and safely respond to any outages. We ask for
our customers' patience and cooperation as we work to restore
service as quickly as possible."
PSE&G urges its customers to be cautious if they see downed
lines. Downed wires should always be considered "live." Do not
approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything that
the wire is contacting.
To report downed wires or power outages, customers should call
PSE&G's Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. Customers
can also report power outages and view the status of their outage
by logging in to My Account on www.pseg.com, PSE&G's
mobile-friendly website.
PSE&G offers the following tips to customers to prepare:
- Charge your cell phones, tablets and other mobile devices.
- Fill up your car's fuel tank.
- Ensure you have a battery-powered radio and a supply of fresh
batteries.
- Check your supply of flashlights, blankets, nonperishable food
and bottled water.
- Have matches and candles with holders on-hand.
- If electricity is interrupted, keep refrigerator doors closed
as much as possible.
- Compile a list of emergency phone numbers, including
PSE&G's Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG. Call this number
to report power outages or downed wires.
PSE&G offers its customers a number of ways to stay in touch
and informed before, during and after a storm. These tools can be
found at www.pseg.com in the "Storm Center," under "How you can
stay connected."
- Sign up for My Account and bookmark the mobile-friendly
homepage on your smart phone so it's easy to report outages and
check restoration progress.
- To report power outages via text message, and receive outage
updates by text and email, sign up for MyAlerts.
- Updated every 15 minutes, PSE&G's online "Outage Map"
displays the location and status of power outages in PSE&G's
service territory.
- The utility's Twitter and Facebook pages also keep the public
informed about restoration progress. Sign up as a follower to
monitor restoration process.
- Be sure everyone in the family is prepared. Go to
www.pseg.com/sesamestreet to learn how to download the PSEG and
Sesame Street "Let's Get Ready!" emergency preparedness app, along
with tips on how to be ready for any emergency.
Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is
New Jersey's oldest and largest
regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly
three-quarters of the state's population. PSE&G is the winner
of the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system
reliability. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise
Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG), a diversified energy company
(www.pseg.com).
Want to know what's new at PSEG? Go to
www.pseg.com/getnews and sign up to have our press releases
sent right to your inbox.
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SOURCE PSE&G