utilities

The power outages in New Jersey following Superstorm Sandy were unacceptably long to many and lawmakers have been getting an earful from residents.

New Jersey's largest utility company believes customers will pay less for electricity and natural gas even if the company gets permission to spend $4 billion to upgrade its system over the next decade.

If New Jersey is going to make sure it is better prepared for major storms like Sandy, we need to start studying up now. That's the thought of one State legislator who is pushing a bill to create a 20-member commission to find ways to improve our utility infrastructure. An Assembly panel is scheduled to consider the measure today.

Residents in Sandy-damaged communities are telling Ocean County Freeholder Joe Vicari says that they're still being billed for utilities they're not using.

In the rush to evacuate their homes during the storm, residents who neglected to shut off their main water valve could end up facing more problems when they finally return.

Since Superstorm Sandy devastated New Jersey and knocked out power to millions of homes and businesses, the state's utilities have been faced with tough questions about what they can do to protect customers in the face of future weather disasters. One utility has responded with a comprehensive and pricey plan.

Super-storm Sandy proved there are a lot of issues to be addressed by power companies. Should they raise substations? How can the infrastructure be improved? Should more power lines by underground?

Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, a member of the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee, feels Jersey Central Power & Light Company (JCP&L) should withdraw their recently submitted request to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) for a $31.5 million rate hike in order to cover the costs of Hurricane Irene in September, 2011 and the snowstorm which followed in October that same year.

If you rely on Atlantic City Electric for your power service, you may soon need to open the wallet a little wider. The utility is currently looking into increasing their rates.

One criticism behind hurricane Sandy is that New Jersey's utility infrastructure, including the poles that carry power across the state, are not the best of quality. Some suggest that weakness may have been a contributing factor to the many electric outages during the storm.