Atlantic County Times

Congressman Van Drew recently engaged in discussions with Exelon and Atlantic City Electric (ACE) representatives to address the increasing energy bills impacting South Jersey residents. The meeting included key figures such as the President and CEO of Pepco Holdings, the Senior Vice President of Federal Government Affairs, the Atlantic City Electric Region President, the Vice President of Customer Operations, and the Director of Federal Government Affairs.

"Right now, there is an urgent crisis for families across South Jersey struggling to make ends meet, and I made it crystal clear to Exelon and ACE that we need swift, tangible action to properly address it," stated Congressman Van Drew. He emphasized that actionable steps were agreed upon during the meeting and expressed his commitment to holding these companies accountable until issues are resolved.

Van Drew outlined several demands including refunding customers who were unfairly billed, suspending shut-off notices for customers with a good payment history, and halting future rate increases until billing practices and smart meter accuracy are addressed. He also called for creating an internal task force, expanding public forums, and increasing dedicated caseworkers to handle customer concerns directly.

"These steps are just the bare minimum. I made it clear to them that if this issue persists, I am not afraid to escalate it further," he warned. "Working with President Trump to bring federal attention to this crisis is not an empty threat. If they do not deliver, we will come back at them harder than ever."

The congressman's office encourages residents still facing billing issues or unresponsive service from ACE to report their concerns.