President Hughes, Mr. Anderson, Ms. Salowe-Kaye, Mr. Savitsky, Mr. Ocasio, and friends. I am pleased to join you for this unveiling of Public Service Electric & Gas Company’s Customer Information Center kiosks. The inauguration of PSE&G’s 16 service center kiosks is definitely a very good day for New Jersey consumers.

For some time, many in the utility and regulatory sector have shared the common goal of providing centrally located touch-screen technology to enable all customers to access valuable consumer-related information and services. With the inauguration of these kiosks, New Jerseyeans can now gain access to valuable information on safety net services such as payment assistance programs and utility bills payment plans as well as information on energy conservation tips and energy customer options like the New Jersey Energy Choice program -- with just the touch of a finger.

These kiosks accomplish two important goals. First, they make these resources accessible to all New Jerseyeans - especially for state residents eligible for assistance during the winter heating season or at times of sudden economic hardship. They also accomplish a second goal of overcoming what is known as the "digital divide." While for many in our society the Internet is ubiquitous, it is not often available to those who most need access to the assistance provided by social service programs but who are without computers or Internet services.

Several years ago, the Ratepayer Advocate began discussions with the utilities about using kiosks with touch-screen technology to enable the public at large to access important consumer information. It was a system first used by Baltimore Gas & Electric to assist low-income ratepayers in accessing information on available social services and financial aid assistance. Especially today, at a time of a volatile energy marketplace and with winter approaching, opportunity for all requires having access to a computer for information -- and, of course, knowing how to use it. That means we have to work together to close the digital divide between those who have the tools and those who don’t. I applaud PSE&G for taking the leadership -- these first steps -- which we hope will provide the beacon for others for implementing New Jersey’s goal of bringing these information opportunities to every community and to all residents in need.

Al Koeppe and Public Service Electric & Gas Company should be congratulated for the positive response which you see here today in Newark. For nearly 100 years, PSE&G has provided its ratepayers with safe, adequate and proper service. It has done so again today. These kiosks are physical proof that PSE&G continues to be concerned in both word and deed for the well-being of the communities and people they serve. In a time of the recent economic downturn, coupled with layoffs and rising unemployment, social service information becomes every more important for ratepayers struggling to pay utility bills.

Those who continue to work to make these kiosks a reality deserve our praise. Thank you for the opportunity to be here, and I look forward to hearing about the successful utilization of this technology by the people of New Jersey.

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