Originally published on PSEG ENERGIZE!
The end of 2025 and start of 2026 hasn’t exactly been gentle for New Jersey. Mother Nature came out swinging with back-to-back states of emergency, major weather events, and trying conditions for customers, employees and utility infrastructure alike. 
Since late December through mid-March, our state faced a lengthy period of extreme weather. Sleet. Heavy snow. Record-breaking cold. Powerful winds. Even an earthquake and a tornado warning.  A  relentless stretch of extreme weather that put our systems to the test. And through it all, our employees worked around the clock to support our customers and keep communities safe. 
 Strong systems. Stronger response. 
Despite punishing conditions — severe winds, heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures — our energy system held strong. 
Just over 4% of our electric customers experienced nominal power loss during major storm events this past winter.
During these winter weather events, our teams delivered where it mattered most: 
- Restoring service to more than  99,650 customers. 
- Responding to over  10,000 gas emergencies and no-heat calls.
- Handling approximately 1,800 no-heat calls per day during the coldest stretch.  
 Ready to be there — no matter the forecast 
 Through these harsh conditions, our employees remained focused on restoring service safely.  
Working safely through snow,  ice and freezing temperatures, they: 
- Replaced or repaired over 1,250 pieces of storm-damaged equipment. 
- Mobilized thousands of employees, union partners,  contractors and mutual aid crews. 
That coordination didn’t stop at our state lines. Once local restoration was complete, mutual aid crews were released to support neighboring utilities — because resilience is a shared effort. 
Behind every restoration is preparation  
When storms cause damage and power disruptions, we work hard to replace poles, restore wires and bring service back online. 
What makes fast restoration possible starts long before the first storm warning. We’ve made strategic investments over the last decade — investing $30 billion to strengthen the safety and reliability of our gas and electric infrastructure.
We also prepare year-round for major weather events, including: 
- Storm simulations and training. 
- Physical response drills with municipal partners and first responders.
- Strategic equipment staging. 
- Tree trimming around our facilities as part of vegetation management.
- Ongoing system upgrades. 
It’s the behind-the-scenes work that strengthens the grid so when extreme weather hits, our system is ready. 
Reliability you can see — and feel 
This winter demonstrated what long-term investment can really do. 
Our customers experienced fewer,  shorter outages. We also saw fewer pipe breaks and low-pressure issues than during past cold snaps, with an average of 4.4 cast iron breaks per day, compared to 16 per day during the 2018 deep freeze.  
These outcomes reflect the impact of sustained infrastructure investment and system modernization — improving performance under stress, increasing public safety and strengthening overall system resilience.
Reliability during extreme weather isn’t just about service — it’s about reducing risk for the communities and systems that depend on it.
Staying connected through it all 
Even in the toughest conditions, staying connected matters. 
Throughout the winter, more than 250,000 customer calls were answered during declared storm events, alongside ongoing updates, safety guidance and real-time information shared across our social media, email and text. 
Jersey Ready, always 
Winter tested us — and we showed up. 
Crews, union partners and teams across the state worked with skill and care to help keep homes warm and businesses running. Our customers played a role too, helping crews safely access homes and neighborhoods when it mattered most. 
That partnership is what keeps everything moving. 
Because being Jersey Ready means preparing for anything, responding to everything and putting safety first — every time. 
No matter the forecast. No matter the season.
