Power Now Restored to Nearly 23,000

Power was restored at 2:35p.m. to 23,000 Essex County customers after equipment failure at the  VA Hospital in East Orange caused an outage at 1:35p.m.

PSE&G earlier reported a power outage that affected residents of Newark, South Orange, West Orange, East Orange and the southern parts of Orange.

PSE&G is aware of the problem and has no estimate yet on when the situation will be resolved. To stay aware of the problem, PSE&G has an outage map here.

To contact PSE&G: 800-436-PSEG (7734), 24 hours, 7 days

From PSE&G:

• If you lose power, first check your fuse and/or circuit breaker box and main breaker if appropriate. If that is not the problem, and your neighbors also have no power, call PSE&G at 1-800-436 7734.
• If your fuse or breakers are in a flooded area, do not go near them until the water recedes or is removed.
• Always stay away from fallen power lines, and always assume they are energized. Notify us at 1-800-436-7734 if you notice wires are down in your area.
• Turn off major appliances.
• Have a battery-operated radio and flashlight handy.

Tips to prevent food spoilage:

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold enough for a few hours. A freezer that is half full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for 48 hours.
• You can also extend food storage by packing refrigerated milk, dairy products, meats, fish poultry, eggs, and other foods in a cooler surrounded by ice.
• Specific advice on food spoilage is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the American Red Cross.