DeAngelo: JCP&L Rate Increase an Insult to Families Still Recovering from Sandy

Assemblyman Wayne P. DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex) today expressed outrage at the rate increase request filed by Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) that asks their consumers to pay them millions of dollars to cover the company’s costs incurred during Superstorm Sandy.

DeAngelo called JCP&L’s rate increase an insult to injury for the thousands of New Jersey families and businesses who are still grappling on a daily basis with the devastation of Sandy.

“Superstorm Sandy cost New Jerseyans their homes, their livelihoods, their way of life and, for some, their lives. However, it appears that JCP&L is concerned with recovering the money that the storm cost them and not finishing the recovery of families and businesses affected by Sandy,” said DeAngelo, vice-chairman of the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee.

According to a press release, JCP&L seeks to recoup $345 million in capital expenditures by charging each consumer an additional $50 per year over a six-year timeframe through the rate increase sought. JCP&L serves an estimated 1.1 million consumers in 13 New Jersey counties.

“If the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approves this rate increase, their customers will have no choice but to pay it. They cannot switch providers or negotiate for a better rate based on their family’s needs. Consumers are held hostage and deserve to be treated better by a company that is in a service industry.

“These are the very same costumers who had no heat or electricity for days into weeks with little answers from JCP&L. The very fact that the company’s press release announcing the rate request wasn’t released until late on a Friday afternoon demonstrates the company’s desire to slide it under the radar screen and move past Sandy,” added DeAngelo.

DeAngelo is the sponsor of legislation that would establish the Energy Infrastructure Study Commission. The bill would establish a 20-member commission made up of state and local government representatives and private citizens to identify the best practices that need to be put in place to improve and modernize the delivery of energy to consumers.

The assemblyman represents the 14th Legislative District, parts of which are in the JCP&L service territory. Sixty-five percent of New Jersey utility costumers lost power due to the storm, 2.6 million homes and businesses, according to a media report. TLS.

This content, and any other content on TLS, may not be republished or reproduced without prior permission from TLS. Copying or reproducing our content is both against the law and against Halacha. To inquire about using our content, including videos or photos, email us at [email protected].

Stay up to date with our news alerts by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

**Click here to join over 20,000 receiving our Whatsapp Status updates!**

**Click here to join the official TLS WhatsApp Community!**

Got a news tip? Email us at [email protected], Text 415-857-2667, or WhatsApp 609-661-8668.

7 COMMENTS

  1. i wouldn’t call it an insult… all those new poles and wires and labor cost alot of money. jcpl was also victimized by the storm…dont fall for the pols

  2. To sammy says:
    to some extent you are right,here is the problem dont you believe that some company profits should be set aside for emegencies like this ?
    Just like snow removal in the years that very little snow what happens to the money set aside YUP gets spent on other things . my point being those funds for emergencies should not be depleted when we have mild weather

Comments are closed.