Atlantic County Times

Congressman Van Drew has announced plans to hold a field hearing in South Jersey to address the rising electricity costs affecting New Jersey families. Additionally, he will introduce a package of five bills aimed at increasing transparency from utility companies and protecting consumers from future rate hikes.

"We need to ensure big companies cannot take advantage of the system and leave hardworking families paying the price," said Congressman Van Drew. "This package of bills is just the beginning of holding utility companies accountable. I plan to introduce more legislation to address these problems and will be holding a field hearing in South Jersey to demand answers and solutions from these companies. We will not stop until we get the transparency and accountability the public deserves."

The date, time, and location for the field hearing in South Jersey will be announced soon. Exelon and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) will be invited along with experts in the field.

The proposed bills include:

1. A bill prohibiting utilities from passing project costs like smart meters onto consumers through rate hikes.

2. A bill closing loopholes that allow large companies to acquire small utilities while operating under different names for tax benefits.

3. A bill mandating utility companies provide a 30-day notice of planned rate increases, detailing justification and consumer impact. Any increases of 3% or more must be reported to the Department of Energy (DOE) 60 days prior, with fines up to $10,000 for non-compliance.

4. A bill requiring utility companies to provide transparent reporting on service interruptions and overdue payments to the DOE, which is currently uncollected information.

5. A bill requiring states to establish procedures protecting households from energy shutoffs and late fees when facing rate increases above 5%.