Power fully restored for 24,000 in Wildwood more than 40 hours after substation fire erupted: officials
WILDWOOD, N.J. - Locals and visitors in Wildwood can finally breathe a sigh of relief as officials say power has been full restored Sunday morning.
The announcement comes nearly 42 hours after a substation fire plunged the entire island into darkness without any air condition beginning Friday afternoon.
"Atlantic City Electric has restored electric service for all customers who were impacted by the fire at our Lake Avenue substation. Service for all customers was restored at 4:24 a.m. today," Atlantic City Electric said in an update Sunday.
Service has now been restored to 24,000 customers, however, officials say some temporary interruptions may still affect residents and those visiting the shore over the next several days.
Morey's Piers and Water Parks said their facilities had power as they prepare to open as of 6:45 a.m. Sunday. Ocean Oasis was set to open to the public as scheduled at 9:30 a.m. with Raging Waters opening at 11 a.m. on a partial basis.
A.C. Electric, which serves about 24,000 customers on the island, shared a statement saying the outage was connected to a fire at their Lake Avenue substation that broke out around noon.
The outage came as temperatures soared into the 90s, creating potentially dangerous and inescapable heat specifically for the elderly and those with medical conditions.
Wildwood opened cooling centers in each of their three towns for residents and visitors to escape the heat. Mayor Rosenello said the centers will remain open as long as the power remains out.
"We're prepared to deal with this as long as it goes on, we're just hopeful it doesn't go on too long," Rosenello said.
Wildwood without power after fire at electrical plant
Atlantic City Electric released a statement Friday afternoon saying the outage was connected to a fire at their Lake Avenue substation that broke out around noon. As a result of the fire, the company shut down the station, which impacted electrical services to about 24,000 customers in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.
The fire that caused the outage was quickly extinguished by the local fire department, but its cause and the long term effects of the blaze remain under investigation.
The outage left traffic lights and gas pumps inoperable. Popular tourist attractions like arcades and water parks were shuttered, and hotel keycard readers also did not work.