Sponsored by:
Senator CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.
District 9 (Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits electric public utility residential rate increases during summer and gas public utility residential rate increases during winter.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning electric public utility and gas public utility rates and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
“Board” means the Board of Public Utilities.
“Electric public utility” means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that distributes electricity to end users within the State.
“Gas public utility” means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that distributes gas to end users within the State.
b. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, no electric public utility rate increases for residential customers shall go into effect during the summer season from June 1 through August 31.
c. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, no gas public utility rate increases for residential customers shall go into effect during the winter season from January 1 through March 31.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits residential rate increases for electric public utilities during the summer and gas public utilities during the winter when natural gas and electric usage peaks among utility customers.
Specifically, under the bill, no electric public utility rate increase for residential ratepayers is authorized to go into effect during the summer season from June 1 through August 31 (summer) and no gas public utility rate increase for residential ratepayers is authorized to go into effect during the winter season from January 1 through March 31 (winter).
During the last year, the Board of Public Utilities (board) authorized electric and gas rate increases just before the peak cooling and heating seasons. Such rate increases have caused rate shock among consumers and forced many to prioritize their spending. It is the sponsor’s intent to make the board aware of the impact that the timing of rate increases have on residential ratepayers and to encourage the board to work with the public to stabilize consumer energy bills.