Sunday, January 6, 2013
State says proposed rules would block building of much-needed generating facilities.
The state is once again protesting rules, proposed by the regional operator of the nation’s largest power grid, that New Jersey officials say would make it harder to build new power plants here. The state Board of Public Utilities argues that rules proposed by the PJM Interconnection would make it nearly impossible to spur construction of new power plants, which state officials see as a way to increase reliability of the power grid while lowering energy costs for consumers and businesses. The filing, submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission late last month, is the latest twist in an ongoing battle pitting New Jersey and Maryland against the federal agency and the PJM over the states’ efforts to foster construction of new power…
Thursday, December 13, 2012
14th Legislative District lawmakers have called upon JCP&L to communicate with customers of the surrounding communities about power outages in recent years
East Windsor, Hightstown, and Cranbury residents, among others in the 14th Legislative District, are due some answers from JCP&L President Donald M. Lynch, according to an Assembly Democrats News Release. In a letter sent to Lynch on Tuesday, Senator Linda R. Greenstein (D-Plainsboro), Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), and Assemblyman Dan Benson (D-Hamilton) invited the JCP&L president to hold an open forum with customers who have faced extended power outages in recent years, leading to frustrations that the utility provider is not able to meet the needs of consumers. “Residents see little improvement to the energy infrastructure to prevent outages or methods used in order to communicate with them during these extended outages,” the…
Monday, October 1, 2012
Outrage over lengthy power outages sparks bipartisan legislation.
The Christie administration and the Legislature appear to be moving in lock step to stiffen penalties for the state’s utilities if they fail to quickly restore power and service after major storms. With little debate, the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee unanimously approved a bill with bipartisan backing (A-2760), which largely reflects the key points in a proposal announced by Gov. Chris Christie. Both lawmakers and the administration are unhappy with the response by the state’s four electric utilities to two powerful storms that pummeled the state last year. A record 1.9 million customers were left without power after Hurricane Irene made landfall in New Jersey, and another 1 million customers were left without …
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Legislators should act quickly to increase penalties and force better management before next storm.
A month after receiving it, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities finally released last week the long-awaited consultant's report on the power outages that resulted from Tropical Storm Irene and the October 2011 snowstorm. Its 263 pages get into minute details of what happened and provide some important background on issues of statewide concern, including the pros and cons of burying power lines. But its overall message, that power companies did a less than sterling job in dealing with the massive outages that resulted from both storms, and in doing the maintenance work that could have prevented some of the problems, was already well-known. There was no reason why Gov. Chris Christie had to wait for the report, done by Emergency …
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Budget falls even as more enroll in state programs to help the needy pay utility bills.
For the first time in several years, the state’s spending to help low-income families pay their energy bills is dropping. The state Board of Public Utilities Thursday approved new budgets for the Universal Service Fund and Lifeline programs, both of which dipped slightly after steadily rising in past years as the economy weakened. The USF, which ensures low-income households pay no more than 6 percent of household income on utility bills, fell to $230 million, down from $242.4 million the previous year, according to Kristi Izzo, secretary to the BPU. At the same time, it adopted a $65.7 million budget for the Lifeline program, which offers senior citizens and the disabled with a $225 energy benefit. It cost $71 million the previous year. …
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Under governor's proposed legislation, utilities could face up to $25,000 per day in penalties for failing to adhere to their own service and communications plans.
Gov. Chris Christie wants utility companies held accountable for their emergency preparedness. Following the findings of a Board of Public Utilities (BPU) investigation released Wednesday, Christie proposed legislation empowering regulators to levy hefty fines against utilities. The legislation raises potential administrative penalties against companies from $100 to $25,000 per daily assessment. Utility companies would be barred from passing along to ratepayers, Christie said. The bill prioritizes preparedness, according to Christie, requiring utility companies to provide detailed service delivery and communications plans to the BPU. Companies that fill to adequately follow their own plans will face the $25,000 per day civil penalty for …
Anthony K
2:56 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
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