JCP&L workers help restore power in Georgia after Helene devastates Southeast

About 45 line workers from Jersey Central Power & Light started their day in western Georgia on Saturday, helping restore power to more than half a million customers after Hurricane Helene tore through the Southeast.

The contingent from New Jersey is part of a team of approximately 200 workers and support personnel from FirstEnergy Corp's electric utilities in the Garden State, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland who are helping utilities in the South restore power.

While JCP&L headed south to help Georgia Power, others went to assist Duke Energy Carolinas in repairing utility lines and restoring electric service in North Carolina.

FirstEnergy is part of an electric utility mutual assistance group that helps each other when naturall disasters strike and cause widespread power outages.

"FirstEnergy employees are committed to supporting the anticipated large-scale power restoration efforts along the U.S. southeast coast," said Wade Smith, president of FirstEnergy Utilities, in a statement. "Aiding communities in rebuilding their power grids after severe weather events is where their expertise shines."

Now a post-tropical cyclone, Helene is now winding it way through the southern Appalachians, hitting the region, including the Tennesse Valley with historic, catastrophic flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm made landfall on Thursday night on Florida's Big Bend region with devastating 140-mile per hour winds and storm surge that swamped communities and knocked out power before moving north into Georgia.

As of 7 p.m. Friday, about 620,000 customers remained without power, according to Georgia Power. JCP&L is among more than 14,000 workers restoring power, including those from Alabama Power, Mississippi Power and dozens of other companies, the Georgia utility said.

David P. Willis: dwilis@gannettnj.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: JCP&L workers help restore power in Georgia after Helene devastates Southeast