HURRICANE SANDY: JCP&L Says it Learned From Its Mistakes

Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) President Don Lynch says the company has learned from the mistakes it made from Hurricane Irene and is ready for Hurricane Sandy and the threat it poses to the state.

The company took heat when Hurricane Irene left many New Jersey towns without power for days - and, in some cases, weeks. Many thought JCP&L's response was too slow.

The biggest lesson learned is getting the information out to customers and municipalities as specifically, quickly and often as possible, Lynch said. The company wants its customers to know as much information as possible, he said.

"Just know that Jersey Central will be working hard day and night - we've already started, should that storm hit shore here and cause outages in our system," Lynch added.

Lynch reiterated that, if the storm is as severe as some meteorologists are predicting, that power could be out for some residents for anywhere from 7 to 10 days.

"We've been tracking it and and we are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best," Lynch said at a press conference in Union Beach Friday afternoon. "Our employees are on high alert."

Lynch said the effects of the storm could be greatest on Monday night, because of the effect the full moon could have on flooding. He said the storm could also bring 80 to 100 mile per hour winds that could topple trees and power lines.

"We are treating this as a major event," Lynch said.