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NJ Utilities: Communication With Customers Will Be Better For Next Storm

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Learning lessons from Superstorm Sandy two years ago, New Jersey electric utilities have been working to improve their communication with customers should another devastating storm knock out power.

As WCBS 880's Jim Smith reported, a major complaint in the days following Sandy was that customers didn't know what repairs crews were working or when power would be restored to their homes.

Jersey Central Power & Light spokesman Ron Morano said that, since then, the utility has enhanced communication with social media and online tools with details on outages.

NJ Utilities: Communication With Customers Will Be Better For Next Storm

"If a crew has been dispatched or if a crew is en route, it will also give you an estimated time of restoration," Morano explained.

JCP&L is also giving repair crews smartphone technology to streamline the repair process.

MORE: Superstorm Sandy: Two Years Later | Photo Galleries

Meanwhile, PSE&G is also using Facebook and Twitter and says it has improved plans when bringing in out-of-state help, nearly doubling the would-be staging areas and more clearly defining workers' roles in getting the lights back on.

PSE&G Senior Vice President John Latka said the company also has worked to harden the infrastructures -- stronger poles, more redundancy and a $1 billion plan over the next three years to solve the flooding problem seen in Sandy.

"Twenty-nine substations that are either going to be raised or relocated," Latka said.

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