MAYS LANDING – Atlantic City Electric has requested New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approval to adjust rates to recover money spent making the local energy grid smarter, stronger and cleaner, enhancing service and delivering safe, reliable and sustainable energy for customers.
According to a release, efforts to modernize the local energy grid and enhance the customer experience has resulted in steadily improving customer satisfaction and more reliable energy service. To support customers during the ongoing pandemic, the company has proposed actions that would offset any increase in the energy delivery rate until at least Jan. 1, 2022.
“With more working adults at home and school-aged children learning virtually, the need for reliable energy service is greater now, more than ever,” stated Gary Stockbridge, Atlantic City Electric region president. “The proposed rate adjustment is necessary to continue providing customers with the level of service they have relied on throughout the pandemic. We understand the significant impacts this pandemic is having on our customers and communities, and we’re going to continue providing reliable service they can count on, assisting those who may be experiencing hardship and helping create jobs and drive our region’s economic recovery.”
Atlantic City Electric customers continue to experience improvements in the reliability of their energy service, a result of the company’s ongoing efforts to modernize the local energy grid. The frequency of outages and the average duration of outages in 2019 remained some of the company’s lowest ever. Since 2011, energy system upgrades and new innovative technologies have driven a 56% decrease in the frequency of electric outages customers experienced.
Atlantic City Electric has undertaken significant efforts to modernize the energy grid with smarter and innovative technologies that enhance service for customers and make the grid more resilient to reduce the impact of climate change and significant weather events like Tropical Storm Isaias. Key electric system modernization projects include:
Energy distribution improvements – Work entails upgrades to distribution lines that deliver power to homes, underground line placements to protect infrastructure from extreme weather, installation of animal safety equipment, and much more to ensure reliable service throughout Atlantic City Electric’s service area.
System technology installations – The implementation of new, smarter technology along distribution lines that work in conjunction with substation automation technology to automatically restore service and reduce the duration of outages.
Substation technology upgrades – Improvements made to substation technology that allows for automatic restoration when there is an outage.
Reliability projects are also important to the local economy, as investments in energy infrastructure improve service for businesses and drive economic development and job creation. Throughout the year, Atlantic City Electric uses hundreds of contract crews and services from other businesses around the state to supplement its own workforce, further supporting the local economy and creating good jobs across the region.
The company places considerable emphasis on hiring diverse, local businesses and making training programs accessible in local communities. In fact, Atlantic City Electric’s purchase of goods and services from diverse certified suppliers topped $82 million in 2019, which equates to 24% of the company’s total yearly purchases.
As part of this regulatory rate review, Atlantic City Electric is seeking to adjust rates by $67 million. This proposed adjustment is based on a thorough evaluation of work done over the last two years to enhance service and improve reliability for customers. Based on this request, the typical residential customer, using 679 kilowatt-hours per month, would see a monthly bill increase of 6.89%, or about $9.23.
Recognizing the economic impacts of the ongoing pandemic, the company’s proposal will essentially keep energy delivery rates flat for customers until at least Jan. 1, 2022, by offsetting the proposed rate adjustment through accelerated tax benefits and a partial rate deferral.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Atlantic City Electric has helped thousands of customers manage their energy bills by providing tips and information about how to save energy and connecting customers with helpful state and federal energy assistance resources. Tens of millions of dollars in energy assistance funding remains available for customers who may be struggling to pay their energy bill. Customers who are facing financial challenges as a result of the ongoing pandemic should contact Atlantic City Electric immediately to set up flexible payment arrangements to bring their account up to date over a mutually agreeable period of time.
Atlantic City Electric will work with every customer to help identify the support necessary to continue energy service.
Customers can contact Atlantic City Electric at (800) 642-3780 to review payment options and can learn about other available energy assistance at atlanticcityelectric.com/help.
Atlantic City Electric is committed to supporting the communities it serves through charitable contributions and volunteering, assisting hundreds of organizations throughout South Jersey annually. This year, Atlantic City Electric has contributed more than $1.2 million to support local communities, including support for southern New Jersey pandemic relief efforts with donations to local foodbanks, grants to small businesses and scholarships to local students impacted by COVID-19.
Readers are encouraged to visit The Source, Atlantic City Electric’s online news room. For more information about Atlantic City Electric, visit atlanticcityelectric.com. Follow the company on Facebook at facebook.com/atlanticcityelectric and on Twitter at twitter.com/acelecconnect. Their mobile app is available, at atlanticcityelectric.com/mobileapp.
