The basics:

• PSE&G restores power to more than 380,000 customers
• Crews repair about 700 utility poles, clear 1,500-plus trees
• Restoration ranks among 10 most impactful storms in PSE&G history
• More than 165 utility, 170 tree crews supported recovery efforts

After a week of punishing heat, powerful thunderstorms and widespread outages across New Jersey, PSE&G said its crews completed one of the largest restoration efforts in the utility’s history, returning power to more than 380,000 customers while repairing extensive storm damage.

The utility said nearly all customers had power restored before midnight July 7. It resolved the final two outages during the early morning hours of July 8.

Thousands of PSE&G employees, contractors and mutual aid crews worked through the July 4 holiday weekend, after a prolonged heat wave and storms packing wind gusts exceeding 70 mph battered the state. NJBIZ reported on the wild weather and subsequent outages/restoration efforts earlier this week.

“For 250 years, Independence Day has honored people who answer the call to serve. This holiday weekend, thousands of PSE&G employees, contractors and mutual aid partners lived that spirit,” said Kim Hanemann, president and chief operating officer of PSE&G. “We are grateful for our customers and their patience and understanding in these difficult conditions of extended outages.

“We know that being without power for any length of time is difficult and safely restoring your power as soon as possible was at the heart of all our efforts this past week.”

Hanemann added: “I couldn’t be more proud of the professionalism, compassion and determination the workforce showed operating through oppressive heat, severe weather and long hours to restore service safely during what ranks in the top 10 most impactful storms in our history. Their commitment reflects the very best of PSE&G.”

The PSE&G restoration effort included:

• 380,000-plus customer outages restored
• Approximately 700 utility poles repaired or replaced
• More than 1,500 trees cleared to reach damaged equipment
• 165 utility crews, including PSE&G, contractors and mutual aid team
• 170 tree crews
• Over 7,000 air conditioner repairs and 110 air conditioning system replacements
• More than 10 million text and email updates sent to customers

PSE&G also credited years of electric system modernization with helping reduce the severity of outages for many customers and allowing crews to restore service more efficiently by replacing aging infrastructure before severe weather struck.

Hanemann thanked local officials and first responders who coordinated restoration efforts alongside utility crews.

“We are grateful for the partnership we have with our local public officials and first responders who are on the ground with the community and also directly experienced the impacts of the storm,” said Hanemann.

State Sen. Holly Schepisi, R-39th District, praised the response, saying, “Please extend my heartfelt gratitude to every member of your team. Their willingness to work long hours, often away from their own families during the holiday weekend, demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the people they serve.”

Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, whose own home lost power during the storm, also thanked restoration crews.

“Thank you to the utility workers from PSE&G and the multiple mutual aid contractors from across the Northeast who have come out in full force to help our Paramus residents safely return to their homes,” Tedesco said in a July 7 social media post. “In moments like this, Bergen County truly shows its strength. I am grateful to our local police, EMS, fire departments, and all emergency responders for their work throughout the past week, keeping residents safe and responding to incidents across the county.”