Christie said he'll speak with the presidents of PSE&G and Jersey Central Power & Light each morning this week, and will increase the pressure if they don't continue making progress Watch video
Gov. Christie addresses the media this morning as Board of Public Utilities President Lee Solomon looks on at the Statehouse. TRENTON — It's slow going, but state workers and utility companies are working overtime to get power back on for hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents still in the dark after the weekend snowstorm, Gov. Chris Christie said today.
Christie, who held a press conference at the Statehouse after speaking with utility executives, told reporters that the companies assured him that at least 95 percent of homes will have power restored on Thursday.
"If you are without power today, Thursday seems like a long time from now," Christie said. "Which is why we're working to give the utility companies additional resources to get the situation resolved."
There were almost 360,000 homes without power this morning, Christie said. That includes 92,000 homes in Morris, 83,000 in Bergen, 54,000 in Essex and 31,000 in Hunterdon, he said.
Christie said he'll speak with the presidents of PSE&G and Jersey Central Power & Light each morning this week, and will increase the pressure if they don't continue making progress.
"Efforts to restore power to critical infrastructure and homes is moving forward as quickly as possible," Christie said.
Jersey Central Power & Light faced particular criticism for a slow response to Hurricane Irene in August, which Christie called "lackluster at best." He said the company is fielding additional resources to combat the problem this time, and pointed out that it's responsible for most of the state's hardest-hit areas.
"They understand they were not great the last time, and they need to be great this time," Christie said.
This time, the situation is complicated by felled trees and downed wires, and Christie said repairing the electrical system can be a frustrating process. If wires are still down when the power is turned back on, transformers can start to blow, requiring workers to make additional repairs.
"There's no way for them to really know where those lines are and how many are really affected until they re-energize those substations," he said. "So it's a process."
Christie said the New Jersey Department of Transportation, which has finished clearing state roads, will be diverted to work on local and county roads to help utility workers reach problem areas.
He warned families to keep an eye out for downed power lines if they go trick or treating for Halloween tonight.
"Bring flashlights so you can see the ground in front of you," he said.
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