More than 1.2 million utility customers in New Jersey are without electricity due to the superstorm that's pummeling the state with rain and strong winds.

Jersey Central Power & Light reports 664,552 customers without service, mostly in Ocean and Monmouth counties. The utility also shut down power to the barrier islands there Monday night in a bid to protect equipment and speed up restoration efforts once the storm has passed.

Most island residents were evacuated ahead of the storm.

Public Service Electric & Gas says 400,000 customers are without power. Atlantic City Electric has 139,495 outages.

The utilities say it may take until Wednesday before their crews can make a full assessment of the damage.

Nearly 2 million customers lost power when Tropical Storm Irene hit the state last year.

 

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

 

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM