STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Division of The Ratepayer Advocate
31 Clinton Street, 11th Fl
P. O. Box 46005
Newark, New Jersey 07101
Press Release
| For Immediate Release Thursday, June 26, 2003 |
For
Further Information |
Newark, NJ – Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh hailed a settlement with New Jersey Natural Gas Co. that provides the utility’s customers with nearly $2 million in credits that will be applied against charges over the next four years.
The agreement provides credits to residential customers to offset their basic gas supply service charge for use of distribution lines that provide gas to the Ocean Peaking Power plant in Lakewood, NJ.
Since ratepayers paid for the construction of the distribution lines that bring natural gas to the power plant, which generates electricity to the PJM power grid, customers are entitled to a portion of the revenues these distribution lines will earn New Jersey Natural Gas, explained Ms. Singh.
The settlement was negotiated by the Ratepayer Advocate and the Board of Public Utilities and approved by the commissioners of the BPU.
“This settlement credits to the utility’s gas ratepayers a portion of the revenues the use of these transmission lines will provide to the gas company,” said Ms. Singh. “Since ratepayers helped pay for the infrastructure at this power plant, they are entitled to a portion of the revenues it provides the company.”
The Ratepayer Advocate said, “Although this settlement translates into a small amount per each customers, the money does belong to the customers so they should be provided with what they are entitled to.”
The Division of the Ratepayer Advocate represents the
interests of utility consumers and serves as an active participant in every case
where New Jersey utilities seek changes in their rates or services.
The Ratepayer Advocate also gives consumers a voice in setting long-range
energy, water, and telecommunications policy that will affect the delivery of
utility services well into the future.
Additional information on this and other matters can be found at the Division of Ratepayer Advocate’s website at http://www.rpa.state.nj.us