Our community is picking up the pieces after a powerful storm swept through South Jersey on March 16, leaving thousands without electricity and causing widespread damage across the region.
The intense weather system brought strong winds and heavy downpours that toppled trees, downed power lines, and damaged property throughout multiple counties. By Monday morning, March 17, more than 5,000 households were still dealing with outages as utility crews worked around the clock to restore service.
Impact Across the Region
PSE&G customers faced the brunt of the outages, with Burlington County hit hardest. As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, 2,518 households in Burlington County remained without power through PSE&G, along with 903 in Camden County and 206 in Gloucester County.
Atlantic City Electric customers also experienced significant disruptions across all South Jersey counties. Gloucester County saw the highest number of outages at 990 households, followed by Camden County with 480 affected homes and Cumberland County with 409. Atlantic County had 111 households without power, Burlington County had 103, and Cape May County was largely spared with fewer than five affected households.
Jersey Central Power & Light, which services Burlington County, reported approximately 177 households without electricity. The hardest-hit areas included North Hanover Township, Pemberton Township, and Springfield Township. The utility company estimated all power would be restored by 1:30 p.m. Monday.
How to Report Outages and Get Updates
If you're still experiencing a power outage, here's how to report it to your utility provider:
For Jersey Central Power & Light customers, text OUT to 544487, call 1-888-544-4877, or submit information through their online outage portal. You can track restoration progress on their outage information page.
Atlantic City Electric customers can report outages by calling 1-800-833-7476, texting OUT to 20661, or using their online reporting system. Their outage map provides real-time updates and estimated restoration times.
PSE&G customers should call 1-800-436-7734, text OUT to 4PSEG, or use the mobile app to report problems. The utility's outage map and MyAlert text program offer ongoing updates about restoration efforts.
Looking Ahead
While utility crews continue working to restore power across our region, residents should remain cautious around downed power lines and damaged trees. Never approach a downed power line, and always assume it's energized and dangerous.
The storm serves as a reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness. Having flashlights, batteries, non-perishable food, and a way to charge essential devices can make a significant difference when severe weather strikes our community.
As we recover from this weekend's storm, checking on neighbors—especially elderly residents or those with medical needs—demonstrates the strength and resilience that defines South Jersey communities.
