PSE&G Heat Wave Update

A heat advisory is in effect until at least 8 p.m. today, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures of near 100 degrees are forecast along with high humidity. The heat index is predicted to rise to 103 degrees on Thursday afternoon. 

Residents are advised to reduce activity, stay hydrated, and seek cool buildings like libraries, malls and movie theaters. 

The Montclair Municipal Building Council Chambers will be open as a cooling center Thursday, June 21, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for people who are seeking relief from the heat. The Municipal Building is located at 205 Claremont Avenue, Montclair. In addition, Essex Pool will be open from 1:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Check up on anyone living alone, especially anyone not in good health or very young or old, and to not hesitate at all to call 911 if they are feeling ill, as heat-related illnesses can be very serious.

PSE&G advised customers to use the following heat safety and energy conservation/cost-saving tips throughout the summer:

•  Turn off everything you’re not using: lights, TVs, computers, etc. Use dimmers, timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.

•  Close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun to keep the sun’s heat out and help fans and air conditioners cool more efficiently. 

• Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home.  With central air, close off vents to unused rooms.

•  Delay heat-producing tasks such as washing and drying laundry or dishes until later in the day, and wait until load is full.

• Refrain from using nonessential appliances. Unplug or use only when necessary an extra refrigerator in your garage.  Also, customers should consider setting their air conditioners to 78 degrees, health permitting.

POWER OUTAGES

According to a press release issued by PSE&G Wednesday evening, about 9,000 weather-related outages in service were reported yesterday, with additional crews expected to work through the night into Thursday morning to restore power to affected areas.  There were no reported power outages in Essex County.

The PSE&G regional grid operator projected sufficient power supplies to meet the increased demand for electricity during hot and humid weather, which is expected to intensify on Thursday.

Wednesday's unofficial peak power demand was 9,772 megawatts. The all-time peak demand of 11,108 megawatts was set in August 2006.

To get ready for summer, PSE&G said it made substantial investments in its transmission and distribution system to maintain reliability and safely meet the increased demand for electricity.

If you experience a power outage, please call PSE&G’s Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG.  Customers who are registered with My Account can also report power outages online. To do so, Log In now or register.

Customers can also monitor restoration progress by signing up and following us on the PSE&G Twitter channel at http://twitter.com/psegdelivers

Check Patch frequently for updates on information on how to survive the summer's most intense heat.