TL;DR: PSE&G kept about 2,500 workers on round-the-clock restoration September 26 as a coastal storm moved through New Jersey, reporting 735 customers out and 41,369 restored by 7 p.m.
Storm response underway across New Jersey
Public Service Electric & Gas Co. said crews were actively responding to outages in Newark, N.J. on September 26, 2026 as a significant coastal storm continued to move through the region, according to PSE&G Storm Response Underway Across Service Territory.
The company said it began preparations earlier in the week, staging crews and materials throughout the territory where impacts were forecasted, and was working around the clock to restore customers safely and as quickly as possible.
About 2,500 PSE&G personnel mobilized to support restoration, including line workers, tree trimmers, surveyors and other field personnel.
At 1:00 p.m., PSE&G reported 2,128 customers out with 30,692 customers restored. By 7:00 p.m. the same day, the company reported 735 customers out with 41,369 customers restored, according to PSE&G Crews Continue Response as Coastal Storm Moves Through Region.
That change shows continued restoration work during the afternoon while the storm remained in the service territory. The company said localized outages could occur throughout the entire weekend until the storm system exits the service territory.
PSE&G said it will continue to have crews in place around the clock to respond to outages and other emergencies promptly and safely.
Where outages stood Saturday morning
Thousands of New Jersey residents were without power Saturday morning, Sept. 26, as a powerful nor'easter battered the state, according to NJ Power Outages Surge Past 20K: Here's Where by Daily Voice.
Jersey Central Power & Light reported 20,739 customers without power as of 11:16 a.m., with some of the largest outages concentrated in Morris, Ocean and Sussex counties.
PSE&G was reporting far fewer outages across its service territory Saturday morning. County totals listed in that morning snapshot were Bergen with 61 customers out, Burlington with 875, Camden with 645, Essex with 369, Gloucester with 824, Hudson with 39, Hunterdon with 3, Mercer with 27, Middlesex with 21, Monmouth with 0, Morris with 0, Passaic with 25, Somerset with 170, and Union with 180.
In Morris County on the JCP&L system, listed municipal outages included Chester Township with 1,063, Mountain Lakes with 867, Parsippany-Troy Hills with 755, Washington Township with 1,018, Mendham Township with 351, Boonton Township with 374, and Jefferson with 264.
In Ocean County, Toms River was listed with 2,756 customers out, Manchester with 947, Point Pleasant with 923, Brick with 320, and Beachwood with 168. In Sussex County, Hopatcong was listed with 1,099, Sparta with 322, Andover Township with 359, Hampton with 201, and Hardyston with 80.
Orange & Rockland reported 256 customers without power in Bergen County and 118 in Passaic County as of 11:15 a.m., with no outages reported among its 351 Sussex County customers.
In Bergen County on the Orange & Rockland system, Montvale was listed with 103 customers out, Upper Saddle River with 58, Demarest with 28, Closter with 26, Franklin Lakes with 17, Saddle River with 14, and Northvale with 5.
Orange & Rockland listed a 5 p.m. restoration estimate for the Bergen County outages overall, though several individual municipalities were still being evaluated or required additional work.
How PSE&G sets restoration priorities
PSE&G said its overall restoration process is to restore power safely to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time with prioritization of critical customers such as hospitals, schools, and customers with life-sustaining medical equipment.
The company said once it determines that it is safe to start service restoration, crews work around-the-clock to restore power.
PSE&G reminded customers that restoration work begins only after conditions are safe for crews to perform their work. During widespread outages, crews first assess damage across the electric system to determine restoration priorities before beginning repairs.
Throughout the storm, PSE&G said it will remain in close communication with county and local emergency management officials and other public safety partners to help coordinate response efforts as needed.
Customer-facing teams, including representatives in the call center and across the company's communications channels, will remain active to provide updates to customers as conditions change.
During the early July storms, the company said it delivered over 10 million messages to customers, including pre-storm email messages on how to stay safe and prepare for a storm as well as text alerts and outage updates during the storm.
PSE&G said it will continue providing updates through its Outage Center, mobile app and social media channels as conditions warrant. The company said if the severity of the storm or its impacts change significantly, it will provide additional information as it becomes available.
For additional storm safety information, outage updates and restoration information, the company directed customers to pseg.com/outagecenter.
Why wind, flooding and backyard access slow repairs
Weather conditions, including high winds and flooding, are expected to make restoration and travel difficult as it may be challenging to safely move about the state, PSE&G said.
The company also cited safety restrictions for the use of aerial equipment such as bucket trucks during high winds.
Storm conditions can also lengthen the backyard restoration process as it becomes challenging to move people, equipment and resources into place for the necessary repairs.
PSE&G Long Island, operating in a neighboring service area, reported a similar constraint on Sept. 26. To ensure the safety of personnel in bucket trucks, strong winds may temporarily slow restoration efforts, according to PSEG Long Island Storm Update — Saturday, Sept. 26, 5 PM.
That update said crews had been working in challenging conditions throughout the storm event, and with continued winds and rain in the forecast, additional outages were expected.
For households, the practical effect is that an individual outage may take longer when crews must wait for wind to ease, water to recede, or rear-lot equipment to be moved into position. PSE&G said crews first assess damage across the electric system before beginning repairs during widespread outages.
How to check restoration times and report an outage
Customers can find their estimated time of restoration on the PSE&G Outage map or by texting "STAT" to 4PSEG or 47734.
PSE&G said it will continue providing updates through its Outage Center, mobile app and social media channels as conditions warrant.
Ahead of the storm, PSE&G encouraged customers to report outages through the mobile app or outage center, by texting "OUT" to 47734 or by calling customer service, according to News 12 New Jersey reporting on Sept. 23 titled PSE&G prepares for potential nor'easter, possible power outages.
That Sept. 23 report said the utility had activated its storm response plan ahead of a potential nor'easter that could bring heavy rain and gusty winds over the next several days, and had positioned additional crews and resources throughout its service territory as it monitored the storm's track.
On Long Island, customers were told to report an outage and receive status updates by texting OUT to PSEGLI at 773454, through the app, through the website, or by calling the 24-hour Electric Service number at 800-490-0075. PSEG Long Island also pointed customers to its MyPower map for outage information, restoration times and crew locations.
What to do around downed wires and standing water
PSE&G urged customers to stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and assume they are energized, according to the Sept. 23 News 12 report.
PSEG Long Island gave parallel safety instructions on Sept. 26. It said downed wires should always be considered live, customers should stay as far away as possible, keep others, children and pets away from the wire, and not drive over or stand near any downed wire.
To report a downed wire on Long Island, customers were told to call PSEG Long Island's 24-hour Electric Service number at 800-490-0075 or call 911.
For flooding, PSEG Long Island said electric current passes easily through water, and if customers encounter a pool of standing water they should stop, back up and choose another path.
Households using backup power were told never to use a generator or any gasoline-powered engine inside a home, basement or garage or less than 20 feet from any window, door or vent. Customers were told to use an extension cord that is more than 20 feet long to keep the generator at a safe distance.
Steps to prepare for weekend outages
PSE&G encouraged customers ahead of the storm to charge phones and other essential devices, secure loose outdoor objects, and keep flashlights and fresh batteries available.
Those three steps match the core household risks in a wind-and-rain event: loss of communications, flying yard items, and loss of lighting after dark.
Customers who rely on life-sustaining medical equipment are among the critical customers PSE&G said it prioritizes during restoration. Households in that group should keep provider and utility contact information accessible and follow guidance from medical providers and emergency officials.
Because PSE&G expected localized outages could occur throughout the entire weekend until the storm system exits, households should plan for repeated updates rather than a single restoration notice.
Checking the Outage map, requesting a status by text, and monitoring the Outage Center, mobile app and social media channels were the update methods the company identified.
Regional picture: Long Island and the Rockaways
As the coastal storm sent another round of heavy rain and gusty winds across Long Island and the Rockaways, PSEG Long Island said it continued to make progress restoring customers and was prepared for overnight weather.
As of 5 p.m. Sept. 26, PSEG Long Island had restored power to more than 45,100 customers affected by the storm since 7 a.m. Friday. The severe weather had brought down trees, branches and wires, currently affecting 13,212 of 1.2 million electric customers across Long Island and the Rockaways.
Outages were scattered across the service area, with the hardest-hit areas including Patchogue, Bluepoint, Huntington and Roslyn. The storm brought wind gusts of up to 63 mph in some locations in eastern Suffolk County.
Tree crews were addressing more than 500 fallen trees and more than 250 large branches across the service area. All PSEG Long Island employees mobilized to support restoration, including more than 850 lineworkers, tree trimmers, surveyors and other field personnel.
Nearly 300 additional off-Island workers were joining Sept. 26 for the duration of the storm. Electric service crews were working to assess damage, and the company said estimated times of restoration will be provided and refined as assessment continues.
PSEG Long Island said additional outages were expected as gusty winds and heavy rain continued overnight, and personnel were on hand to respond and restore service safely and as quickly as possible.