Tiver, Torrissi bills demand transparency for energy rate hikes

TRENTON– Senator Latham Tiver and Assemblyman Michael Torrissi are urging lawmakers to vote on two bill proposals that would provide transparency prior to utility rate hikes and allow citizens the time to speak out against price increases. 

The two 8th Legislative District representatives introduced the bills in the beginning of the year without movement from the Democrat-led legislature. Now, with New Jersey residents paying soaring costs on their monthly energy bills, Tiver and Torrissi are calling for a stronger push to pass these laws. 

“It’s imperative that people are given the chance to get informed and protest exorbitant utility price increases prior to them becoming final,” Tiver said. “It does no good alerting them of incoming increases after the final nail is in the coffin.”

S596/A692 would require public utilities to mail customers a detailed explanation of rate settlement agreements prior to a final Board of Public Utilities vote.

S597/A693 would require public utilities to provide customers with notice of request for increase in rates. It would also require the BPU to hold rate increase hearings in the largest municipality by population in the service area the increase would affect. The BPU would also be forced to accept and address public questions and comments regarding the increase.

“Families in my district were blindsided when they saw their energy bills go up by, in some cases, hundreds of dollars. With Governor Phil Murphy’s energy master plan goals, it’s only going to get worse. We need to give people a chance to get educated and fight back,” Torrissi said. 

Residents throughout New Jersey were shocked by summer energy bills that melted their pockets after the BPU approved a 13-percent rate increase on energy supply. This was paired with approved hikes for energy delivery companies like Atlantic City Electric. The barrage of inflationary decisions by the state’s utility board hit ratepayers with sky-high monthly bills.