Press Releases

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew slammed Atlantic City Electric's (ACE) request to impose an 8% increase on utility bills for consumers in South Jersey to fund the installation of smart meters. This move comes on top of a 17% hike that New Jersey residents are already bracing for starting June 1st. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) is expected to vote on this additional increase in April.

"South Jerseyans are not a piggy bank that ACE can raid whenever they feel like it," said Congressman Van Drew. "These meters will only drive up costs, and there is no reason to force people to pay for something they do not want. I do not blame people for rejecting these meters and choosing to pay the $15 a month penalty instead. People who have had them installed are seeing their bills go up for no reason. Why should anyone pay more for something that makes things worse?

"These smart meters are just a way for ACE to increase their profits by replacing workers with machines. They want to make more money while doing less for customers. It is pure greed, and it is not right. The NJBPU needs to reject this increase, or they need to step down. If they are not working for the people of New Jersey, they should not be in those positions. South Jersey has had enough of these unfair rate hikes."