Propane shortage threatens to leave New Jersey homes freezing

🔴 New Jersey declares a state of emergency amid a propane shortage.

🔴 186,000 residents rely on propane during freezing December nights.

🔴 Gov. Murphy’s executive order is a response to refinery-related supply delays.

A state of emergency has been declared in New Jersey due to a propane shortage, which could leave thousands of homes without heat during cold December nights.

The declaration will take effect at 9 a.m. Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy said. On Thursday, he signed an executive order to bring more deliveries to New Jersey to counter the propane shortage.

According to Murphy, the executive will stay in effect until the shortage is over. There's no clear timeline for when that will happen.

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Around 186,000 New Jersey residents rely on propane to heat their homes.

Temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s each night this week. It's still fall; the first day of winter is Dec. 21, and colder weather is likely on the way.

Why there's a propane shortage in New Jersey

While there may be a shortage of propane for consumers, there's actually plenty of fuel to go around, according to the New Jersey Propane Gas Association. The problem is getting that fuel to homes.

According to Murphy's executive order, there was a power outage on Nov. 21 at a "major gas refinery and industrial complex" in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. The plant was closed for nearly a week and has since been open only intermittently.

That's led to an increase in wait times for propane delivery trucks that come to New Jersey.

READ MORE: Why New Jersey faces a drought warning this winter

Under federal law, propane trucks are only allowed to operate 11 hours each day. Longer wait times mean that more of those hours are spent waiting instead of delivering propane.

The emergency declaration allows them to operate 14 hours a day.

"Governor Murphy’s targeted action is providing the necessary flexibility to help address this supply chain disruption," the NJPGA said.

Silence on where the power outage happened

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Governor's Office declined to tell New Jersey 101.5 at which plant the power outage occurred.

One of the biggest refineries in Marcus Hook is Monroe Energy, which experienced a significant power outage in July. It supplies propane to neighboring states, including New Jersey.

However, Monroe Energy spokesperson Adam Gattuso said the issue did not involve that refinery.

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