Atlantic County Times

Congressman Van Drew has criticized Atlantic City Electric's (ACE) recent proposal to increase utility bills in South Jersey. The proposal, amounting to an 8% increase, is intended to support the installation of smart meters. This is in addition to a planned 17% hike that New Jersey residents are set to experience starting June 1st. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) is expected to decide on this proposal in April.

Van Drew expressed strong opposition to the proposal, stating, "South Jerseyans are not a piggy bank that ACE can raid whenever they feel like it. These meters will only drive up costs, and there is no reason to force people to pay for something they do not want. I do not blame people for rejecting these meters and choosing to pay the $15 a month penalty instead."

He emphasized the negative impact of smart meters, adding, "People who have had them installed are seeing their bills go up for no reason. Why should anyone pay more for something that makes things worse?"

The congressman accused ACE of prioritizing profit over service, arguing, "These smart meters are just a way for ACE to increase their profits by replacing workers with machines. They want to make more money while doing less for customers. It is pure greed, and it is not right."

Finally, Van Drew called for the NJBPU to take action against the rate increase, stating, "The NJBPU needs to reject this increase, or they need to step down. If they are not working for the people of New Jersey, they should not be in those positions. South Jersey has had enough of these unfair rate hikes."