SEA BRIGHT – The forecasters got it right… this time. Coastal Monmouth County residents woke up to blizzard conditions, snowdrifts and flooding concerns on Saturday morning. Road crews were out in force, which had some of the major highways passable but still a treacherous ride in spots due to poor visibility and varying depths of snow.… Read the rest of this entry »
Look, up in the sky, it’s … nothing to be concerned about. JCP&L says residents in its 13-county service area shouldn’t be worried if they see a low-flying helicopter over the next few weeks. The company using the helicopter patrols starting today to inspect transmission lines, towers and related equipment. Local law enforcement agencies will be… Read the rest of this entry »
In an area of the Jersey Shore most devastated by Sandy, a power company is forcing many homeowners who rebuilt their houses higher to spend thousands of dollars to also raise the utility poles and electric lines. One homeowner had to pay $20,000, after the stand-off stopped his rebuilding for months, he said. It’s not clear… Read the rest of this entry »
By Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande
A state administrative law judge has recommended state regulators cut Jersey Central Power & Light’s rates by $107.5 million. It is now time for the Board of Public Utilities to act. JCP&L customers have waited over three years for relief. The BPU should respond quickly and in the best interest of consumers who have been footing the bill.
In 2011, the Division of Rate Counsel voiced concerns that JCP&L was earning excessive profits and not investing in infrastructure improvements. BPU ordered JCP&L to open its books to determine whether its profits were reasonable. The findings proved they were not, which is what the ratepayer advocate and I had been saying all along. BPU staff recommended that JCP&L cut its rates by $169.8 million.
Posted: January 21st, 2015 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Amy Handlin, Caroline Casagrande, JCP&L | Tags: Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Board of Public Utilities, BPU, Hurricane Irene, JCP&L, Superstorm Sandy | Comments Off on Casagrande: BPU should act now to force JCP&L to repay overcharges
A recent ruling on Jersey Central Power & Light’s revenue could have a substantial impact on its customers’ wallets, according to reports. The long-awaited ruling by a New Jersey administrative law court judge Friday recommended the power company’s revenue be reduced by $107 million, NJ Spotlight reports. The notable rate reduction still fell short of the… Read the rest of this entry »“Sometimes the process works”
Assemblyman O’Scanlon praised the process that led to the comprehensive and sensible solution to the placement of electric meters in flood zones. “As hard as it is to accept, conflicting concerns will mean we sometimes encounter frustrating rules and regulations” said O’Scanlon. “Sometimes those enshrined rules and regulations can be exceedingly difficult to alter, even in the face of drastically altered conditions. So when we came across the meter height issue a few weeks ago, I was very concerned.”
O’Scanlon was contacted by a constituent, along with local Sea Bright officials regarding the conflicting guidance pertaining to the placement of her electric meter. “The original guidance directed her to place the meter above the base flood elevation level, which she did. The problem arose when JCP&L representatives showed up and informed the homeowner to move the meter down to 5.5 feet above ground level, well below the future flood level. We almost simultaneously encountered the issue during an inspection of rebuilt neighborhoods in Union Beach. I immediately contacted JCP&L and the Governor’s Office of Rebuilding and Recovery. Everyone ‘s attitude was immediately open-minded. The JCP&L folks explained the reasoning behind their rules – they must have easy access to meters in case of fire or other emergencies – but understood that a better solution was needed for these flood prone areas and they committed to finding one”.
Posted: August 27th, 2014 | Author: admin | Filed under: Flood Maps, JCP&L, Press Release, Sea Bright | Tags: Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon, Declan O'Scanlon, Electric Meter Installation, JCP&L, Press Release, Sea Bright | Comments Off on O’Scanlon announces new electric meter installation guidelines for flood zonesMonmouth County Legislators to Present Petitions Against JCP&L’s Rate Hike at Tomorrow’s Public Hearing in Freehold
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin
Assemblywomen Amy Handlin and Caroline Casagrande plan to present petitions tomorrow signed by 1,500 ratepayers opposed to a proposed electricity rate hike by Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L).
“We will speak for the hundreds of ratepayers who are tired of paying more for less service,” Handlin, R-Monmouth, said. “This proposal to take about $85 more per year from hard-working families lacks credibility because JCP&L has yet to answer very serious charges of pocketing corporate profit instead of investing in the improvements that would have made our service more reliable and our rates more tolerable.”
Posted: April 23rd, 2013 | Author: admin | Filed under: Amy Handlin, Caroline Casagrande, Hurricane Sandy, JCP&L, Press Release, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Board of Public Utilities, BPU, JCP&L, Press Release, Rate hike | Comments Off on Handlin & Casagrande to Submit 1,500 Objections to JCP&L’s Proposed Rate IncreaseLast week, utility provider JCP&L announced it was investing $200 million this year to improve it electric support system in an effort to improve service reliability. Deputy Assembly Republican Leader Amy Handlin today asked why JCP&L did not disclose at the same time that it had filed for a 4.5 percent rate increase to recover costs from Superstorm Sandy and other storms which was revealed the next day.
“On Thursday, JCP&L was out front with the news that it was investing $200 million to improve its infrastructure and that ratepayers wouldn’t be affected because the costs were already part of the company’s yearly budget,” said Handlin, R-Monmouth. “At the end of the day on Friday, the utility then informs the public it is filing for a 4.5 percent increase to cover cleanup costs from previous storms. JCP&L is badly misinformed if it thought that tidbit would escape public notice.
“Good public relations starts with being upfront about everything, including an increase request that will be passed onto ratepayers,” said Handlin, who has been critical of the utility’s efforts in restoring lost power over the last two years. “Ratepayers deserve to see improvements to the critical framework in JCP&L’s system and have assurances that their infrastructure is reliable before a rate increase is even entertained.
“JCP&L should focus on improving its performance to its customers,” stated Handlin. “On Wall Street, bad news is often revealed after the closing bell. For customers of JCP&L, there is no closing bell. They just want to know the lights are on.”
Last year, the Division of Rate Counsel filed a petition contending JCP&L is earning a profit exceeding 12 percent in New Jersey – far above the allowable 8.5 percent.
Handlin pointed out that PSE&G, the state’s largest utility provider, recently announced it was seeking the BPU’s approval to spend $3.9 billion over the next 10 years to protect and improve its electric and gas systems against severe weather conditions.
Posted: February 25th, 2013 | Author: admin | Filed under: Amy Handlin, Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, JCP&L, Press Release | Tags: Amy Handlin, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, JCP&L, rate increase | Comments Off on HANDLIN: JCP&L SHOULD INVEST TIME AND $$$ IN INFRASTRUCTURE INSTEAD OF RATE INCREASE© Copyright 2025 | MoreMonmouthMusings | All Rights Reserved