NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / February 26, 2026 / Originally published on PSEG ENERGIZE!
When one of the most severe winter storms our region has seen in more than 30 years tore through New Jersey, it didn't just bring snow. It brought blizzard conditions, record-breaking snowfall and punishing winds that tested all of us. Winter Storm Hernando came in fast and fierce.
In a matter of hours, two to three feet of snow buried neighborhoods across the state. Wind gusts of 50 miles per hour snapped branches, toppled trees and triggered widespread power outages. Schools and businesses closed. Roads disappeared. Travel and transit came to a standstill.
It was the kind of storm New Jersey hadn't seen in decades. And it was exactly the kind of moment we prepare for.
Because being Jersey Ready isn't a slogan. It's how we show up - especially when conditions are at their worst.
Ready to respond
More than 3,000 employees mobilized across our service territory, working around the clock in deep snow and freezing temperatures.
That included over 1,150 line workers, 400 tree trimmers, 472 mutual aid contractors, and hundreds of other field personnel focused on one thing: restoring service safely and quickly.
Over the course of the storm, our employees:
Restored power to 56,800 customers - helping kitchens warm up, phones recharge and homes feel like home again.
Responded to 1,259 no-heat calls - a heating outage isn't an inconvenience, it's urgent.
Responded to 327 gas emergency calls - because safety doesn't pause during a storm, and neither do we.
This all happened during a storm that intensified rapidly in just 24 hours.
Before any repairs could even begin, our teams had to dig out buried equipment and carve safe paths through drifts reaching several feet high just to access poles, wires and underground systems. That's tough work in tough conditions - but it's work they train for year-round.
Our employees made steady progress on restoration, which allowed us to release our mutual aid contractors to assist neighboring utilities as recovery efforts continued across the region.
At the same time, we stayed connected with you - answering nearly 13,000 calls within seconds and sending more than 200,000 proactive outage notifications. In addition, 7,900 customers reported outages through our customer service platforms, including via text and our mobile app.
When the weather tests us, we respond - keeping you informed every step of the way.
The power of preparation
Results like this don't happen overnight. For more than a decade, we've been strengthening, fortifying and modernizing our gas and electric systems - hardening the grid to better withstand extreme weather, whether it's a blizzard in January or a heatwave in June.
We stay prepared by:
Proactively trimming trees to reduce outages before storms hit.
Conducting regular storm drills and emergency response exercises.
Analyzing performance after every major event to look for ways to improve.
And that's just a small part of the work happening behind the scenes every day to strengthen our systems.
This winter has delivered multiple storms and extended periods of dangerous cold. But no matter how relentless the weather, the resolve of our Jersey Ready workforce never wavers.
These are neighbors helping neighbors. People who live here, raise families here and take pride in keeping their communities powered safely and reliably.
That's the kind of grit New Jersey is known for - and we're proud to be part of it.
Partners in the storm
Major storm response is never a solo effort. During Hernando, we worked closely with our state and municipal partners to coordinate snow removal and response efforts so roads could be cleared, and conditions remained safe for our teams to reach affected areas.
Storms like these remind us how interconnected we all are - utilities, municipalities, first responders and residents working together to get through it.
Thank you, New Jersey
We know how stressful it is to lose power or heat - especially during frigid temperatures. Thank you for your patience and for staying connected with us throughout the storm.
When the next storm barrels toward New Jersey, know that we'll be steady, focused and Jersey Ready.
Find more stories and multimedia from PSEG at 3blmedia.com.
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SOURCE: PSEG
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
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