Backup Power Guide for New Jersey: Edition 2026
Hurricane Sandy (2012) fundamentally changed how New Jersey residents think about backup power. The superstorm left 2.7 million customers without power, some for over two weeks. Entire communities along the Jersey Shore were devastated. Since then, backup generators have become essential for coastal residents and increasingly common throughout the state.
Jersey Shore: Coastal Vulnerability
Ocean, Monmouth, Atlantic, and Cape May counties face the highest hurricane and coastal storm risk. Sandy's storm surge destroyed infrastructure and flooded substations. Even routine Nor'easters cause significant outages. JCP&L has made infrastructure improvements, but the fundamental exposure to coastal storms remains. For Shore residents, backup power is considered essential, not optional.
North Jersey: Dense Population, Dense Trees
Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Somerset counties feature heavily wooded suburbs with mature tree canopy. Summer thunderstorms and winter ice events regularly bring down trees and power lines. The 2020 Tropical Storm Isaias left over 1 million PSE&G customers without power. Historic neighborhoods with overhead lines are particularly vulnerable.
⚡ Pro Tip for New Jersey
Natural gas generators are ideal for New Jersey—the extensive gas infrastructure (PSE&G, Elizabethtown Gas, SJI) survived Sandy far better than overhead power lines. Natural gas provides unlimited fuel during extended outages, and you'll never need to worry about propane delivery during storm recovery. The underground gas lines kept flowing throughout Sandy.