Mystery substation trip knocks out power for thousands

💡Over 5,000 JCP&L customers lost power in Manchester and Lacey townships

💡A substation in the Whiting section of Manchester is to blame

💡Power will be restored in small groups

MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP — A trip at a JCP&L substation is to blame for a power outage that left over 5,000 customers without power on Monday.

With temperatures in the upper 20s, the substation in the Whiting section of Manchester tripped for an unknown reason around 8:30 a.m., JCP&L spokesman Chris Hoenig told New Jersey 101.5. Hoenig said there was no obvious indication of contact by an animal or anything related to the cold temperatures.

Restoration after a substation can take time, according to Hoeing.

"When we have an outage involving a substation like this it requires thorough inspections and testing. We just need about another hour or so of testing from this point and if everything tests okay, we'll be able to start stage restorations at that point, Hoenig said around 2 p.m.

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When will power be restored?

Power will restored in groups of customers of a few hundred which will take some time, according to Hoenig. The last restorations will happen around 8 p.m.

"We have to make sure, as we re-energize that bank at the substation, that it's holding up each circuit as we bring it back on. So you have to bring up a circuit, check it, test it, before you bring the next circuit back on," Hoenig said.

Manchester has opened up two warming centers. One is at the Whiting Fire Company located at 102 Lacey Road and the Manchester EMS Substation at 82 Lacey Road. Any resident needing transportation should call Manchester police at 732-657-6111 to make arrangements.

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