Van Drew Plans Field Hearing For Rising Energy Bills In South Jersey

SOUTH JERSEY — Summer is officially over, and during that season many South Jerseyans said they experienced higher than usual electric bills - way higher than usual. Now, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02) is planning a field hearing on the matter, as well as introducing a package of five bills to prevent it from happening again.

"We need to ensure big companies cannot take advantage of the system and leave hardworking families paying the price," Van Drew said in a release. "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."

A date, time and location of the field hearing will be announced at a later date, but Van Drew said it will take place in the 2nd congressional district. Exelon and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) will be invited along with experts in the field.

Atlantic City Electric previously said that "changes in rates, the cost of electricity and seasonal temperatures may have led to fluctuations in customer's recent electric bills."

Van Drew previously said he was investigating the matter after he received data from "thousands" of residents, indicating that energy bills have sometimes tripled in comparison to the same time last year. Read more: Seen Skyrocketing Electric Bills In South Jersey? Van Drew Investigating

More than 50,000 have signed a petition demanding "transparency and accountability" from Atlantic City Electric with regards to the rising costs.

Van Drew's bill package includes the following, he said:

1. Bill to prohibit utilities from passing the costs of projects like smart meters onto consumers through rate hikes.

2. Bill to close loopholes that currently allow large companies to acquire small utilities while operating under different names for tax benefits.

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

4. Bill to require utility companies to provide transparent reporting on service interruptions and overdue payments to the DOE, which is information not currently collected. This increases transparency and will lead to more effective oversight of utilities and ensure more fairness for consumers being treated unfairly in certain regions like South Jersey.

5. Bill to require states to establish procedures to protect households from energy shutoffs and late fees when facing rate increases above 5 percent.