Imagine being plunged into darkness during a brutal blizzard, with no heat, no lights, and no end in sight. That’s exactly what thousands of New Jersey residents faced after a monstrous storm swept through the state, leaving over 90,000 homes and businesses without power. But here’s the silver lining: Atlantic City Electric has stepped up, promising to restore power to all customers by Friday—sooner than initially expected. And this is the part most people miss: the company’s crews have been working tirelessly, already bringing electricity back to more than 113,000 of the 130,000 affected customers as of Tuesday afternoon.
The storm, which dumped tons of heavy, wet snow and unleashed winds of 55 miles per hour or more, caused widespread damage across South Jersey. But here’s where it gets controversial: while many applaud the company’s rapid response, some residents in the hardest-hit areas are still waiting, raising questions about resource allocation and preparedness. Officials assure that customers in these heavily damaged zones will have power by Friday, if not earlier, thanks to one of the largest field crew contingencies the company has assembled in years—over 1,100 personnel, including tree crews and mutual assistance teams.
By Tuesday evening, most customers were expected to have their lights back on, with crews focusing on Atlantic, Cape May, and Burlington Counties. Here’s a thought-provoking question: With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, are power companies doing enough to future-proof their infrastructure? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
In the meantime, if you’re still without power or spot downed wires, Atlantic City Electric urges you to call 800-833-7476 immediately. For now, there’s hope on the horizon as the state slowly recovers from this historic storm.
Written by Victoria Gladstone, a news reporter covering criminal justice and breaking news for NJ.com. Her early career achievements include a First Year Journalist award from the New Jersey Press Association.
