(NEWARK, N.J. – April 12, 2020) Public Service Electric & Gas Co. is prepared for the high winds and heavy rain forecasted for the service area tomorrow. This storm system is expected to bring abnormally strong winds that are expected to peak Monday afternoon, with strong thunderstorms possible. Peak gusts of over 60 mph are expected. The gusty winds may cause tree limbs to break and pull down wires, causing outages.

“We are closely monitoring the weather and are prepared for what could be a significant weather event,” said Paul Toscarelli, PSE&G’s director of emergency preparedness. “PSE&G will have sufficient crews available tonight and Monday to respond to any service interruptions that may occur.”

“PSE&G is prepared to maintain safe, reliable service during the COVID-19 outbreak. In response to the outbreak, we have adapted our storm and safety procedures to follow public health guidelines and industry best practices. We thank our customers for their patience as we operate under these unusual circumstances to safely restore power as quickly as possible.”

PSE&G reminds customers that its crews are unable to work in bucket trucks to make repairs until the winds return to non-hazardous levels. In addition to its own crews, PSE&G will be able to call upon additional local personnel, including tree and line crews, to repair damage and restore outages as safely and quickly as possible. Traditionally, PSE&G is able to call on mutual aid support from crews in other parts of the country if needed. During the current public health crisis, PSE&G does not expect the same level of mutual aid support will be available to us. While we have adjusted our emergency response plan accordingly, some customers may experience slightly longer outages as a result.

The safety of PSE&G’s customers and employees is the company’s top priority. We ask that customers remain in their homes while crews are working nearby. If customers must speak with our crews, we ask that they practice responsible “social distancing” and remain at least 6 feet away to ensure the health of everyone involved. For more information about how PSE&G continues to live up to its commitments during the pandemic, please visit https://nj.pseg.com/safetyandreliability/safetytips/coronavirus.

Customers should be cautious and stay alert to their surroundings during and after storms. 

What you can do now:

• Be ready to communicate about your situation.
• Make sure you have a family emergency plan.
• Charge your phones, tablets, power backups and other mobile devices.
• If your mobile service provides a “hotspot” for areas without internet access, learn how to use it.
• Review more storm preparation tips at https://nj.pseg.com/safetyandreliability/stormsafety.
  
  

Stay connected with PSE&G:

• Compile a list of emergency phone numbers; include PSE&G Customer Service 1-800-436-PSEG. 
• Go to pseg.com/myaccount to sign up to report outages online and to check restoration progress.
• Go to pseg.com/outagecenter to check the “Outage Map,” which is updated every 15 minutes with PSE&G outage information, and to register for MyAlerts to receive text notifications.
• You can report an outage by texting “OUT” to 4PSEG (47734) or via Alexa.
• The new PSE&G mobile app enables customers using Apple or Android devices to securely and easily manage their accounts when and where the customers want to be served.
• “Like” PSEG on Facebook and follow PSEG on Twitter @PSEGdelivers.
  
  

Stay away from downed wires:

• Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and immediately call PSE&G at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734) or 911 to report downed wires.
  
  

Other important safety notes:

• To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline-powered generators in a garage or any other enclosed space.
• If you are on life-sustaining medical equipment, ensure that you alert PSE&G in advance and notify your local police and fire departments. For more information, visit www.pseg.com/life.

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PSE&G
Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G) is New Jersey’s oldest and largest gas and electric delivery public utility, serving 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 Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a diversified energy company. PSEG has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 12 consecutive years.