Widespread Power Outage In Manchester Remains Under Investigation

MANCHESTER, NJ — The cause of a lengthy power outage that led to some Manchester residents spending the night Monday at Manchester Township High School remains under investigation on Tuesday, officials said.

"The priority is completing repairs," said Christopher Hoenig, a spokesman for Jersey Central Power & Light. "There is still a lot of work to do and crews will be working most of the day and potentially into the night to button everything up."

There were five circuits affected by the issue at the substation on Station Road in Manchester. Hoenig said JCP&L is asking customers in the area that was affected to conserve power wherever possible until repairs are complete.

While the cause remains under investigation, Hoenig said speculation about the cause has prompted false rumors.

"I can say there is zero evidence of a drone at the substation, that rumor is out there and is not accurate," he said.

Of the more than 5,200 homes and businesses in the Whiting section that lost power, a handful remained listed on the JCP&L website as out, but Hoenig said it reflected homes where people requested call backs after power was restored.

"We’re calling each and pinging smart meters," Hoenig said. "All indications are they are on" but just didn't answer the phone during the call back to confirm.

The outage happened following frigid temperatures in the low teens Sunday into Monday and that hovered in the 20s most of the day, causing temperatures in homes heated with electricity, many of them in the senior communities, to plummet as well.

Because of the frigid temperatures, the township opened warming centers, then shifted to an overnight shelter at Manchester Township High School. The shelter at the high school was operated by the Red Cross, which provided food, beds, and pet-friendly accommodations, Manchester Police Capt. Albert Vega said.

In addition to transporting residents who could not drive to the shelter, Manchester police conducted welfare checks to make sure vulnerable residents were safe, Vega said.

Drivers in the Manchester Township School District Transportation Department also helped transport residents to the shelter, Vega said. He did not provide an estimate of how many people stayed at the high school overnight.

Everyone who stayed overnight at Manchester Township High School has been transported back to their homes, Vega said.

The outage also knocked out multiple traffic lights, resulting in police officers directing traffic at those intersections for several hours until the power was restored, he said.

"This incident represented a large-scale, multi-agency response where every organization worked hand-in-hand with one another and the community to ensure the safety and well-being of all affected residents," the police department said. "The coordination and cooperation displayed throughout the response exemplify the strong relationships between local, county, and volunteer agencies and their unwavering commitment to the public."

"From providing vital updates to transporting residents to warming centers, everyone involved worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the community during this challenging time," the police department said.