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Amid the High Heat, Extended Heat Wave Forecast; PSE&G Reminds Customers to Prepare and Offers Safety and Savings Tips

(NEWARK, N.J. – July 18, 2022) With an extended heat wave and scattered thunderstorms forecast over the next 10 to 15 days, PSE&G has sufficient electric capacity to meet projected electric peak demand and is sharing safety and savings tips for customers to cope with the heat and stay safe.

“We’ve been monitoring our system and are staffed and ready to respond to issues as they arise,” said Paul Toscarelli, PSE&G’s emergency preparedness director. “Annually, we invest more than $1 billion in electric infrastructure improvements, which helps keep the power and your air conditioners on. At PSE&G, we’re Powering Progress by continuing our infrastructure upgrades and meeting high reliability standards.”

During extreme heat conditions, customers should:

  • Seek out air-conditioned spaces, if possible, if homes become too warm.
  • Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol.
  • Avoid wearing dark colors because they absorb the sun’s rays.
  • Never leave children or pets alone in enclosed vehicles.
  • Avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day, which is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Customers can save money when you:

  • Raise the setting to the highest comfortable temperature. You can save 3 to 5% on air conditioning costs for each degree you raise the temperature. We recommend 78 degrees.
  • If you have central air, close doors and vents to unused rooms to reduce the area your system must cool, so your system does not have to work as hard.
  • Use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation.
  • Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows with caulk or weather-stripping to keep cool air in and warm air out.
  • Operate appliances in the morning or evening when it is cooler outside.

For more ways to save on summer energy bills, visit https://nj.pseg.com/saveenergyandmoney/energysavingpage/summerenergytips.

High temperatures and high electric demand can sometimes cause scattered heat-related outages. PSE&G has additional personnel ready to respond, and is performing system and logistics checks to ensure the availability of critical materials, fuel and other supplies. PSE&G prepares year-round for extreme weather to maintain reliable service for our customers. 

COVID-19-related storm processes have been adjusted to continue to keep the health and safety of employees and customers at the forefront. 

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 physical distancing, and remain at least 6 feet away to help 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 pseg.com/COVID19. PSE&G thanks our customers for their patience as we safely restore power as quickly as possible.


Additional customer safety:

  • If you are on life-sustaining medical equipment, please have a backup plan in case of power loss and ensure that you alert PSE&G in advance and notify your local police and fire departments. For more information, visit pseg.com/life.
  • To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline-powered generators in a garage or any other enclosed space.
  • Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Stay at least 30 feet away from downed wires, and don’t go near the pole or anything touching the line. Immediately contact PSE&G, at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734) via our mobile app or our website, to report downed wires and dial 911 if an immediate hazard exists. 
  • Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed electrical wires. Don't drive over – and don't stand near – downed wires.
  • Downed wires can potentially be hidden in standing water. If you encounter large pools of standing water, stop, back up and choose another path.

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PSE&G
Public Service Electric & Gas Co. is New Jersey’s oldest and largest gas and electric delivery public utility, serving three-quarters of the state’s population, as well as one of the nation’s largest utilities. PSE&G has won the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system reliability in the Mid-Atlantic region for 20 consecutive years. PSE&G received the 2022 ENERGY STAR® “Partner of the Year” award in the Energy Efficiency Program Delivery category, and is a 2021 Customer Champion and Most Trusted Brand as named by Escalent. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 14 consecutive years (www.pseg.com).

 

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