Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco has expressed criticism over the recent agreement between the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and four public electric utilities, along with the Rate Counsel. The deal stipulates that electric customers will see a reduction of $30 in their bills for July and August, with the utilities set to recover these amounts over the following six months without charging interest.
Bucco argues that this decision is politically motivated and fails to address fundamental issues in New Jersey’s energy sector. “The latest move by the BPU to delay utility rate hikes until after the summer might buy them time politically, but it does absolutely nothing to address the underlying issue: New Jersey doesn’t have enough energy generation to meet demand,” he stated.
He further criticizes Democrats, suggesting they should reconsider their stance on the Energy Master Plan. Bucco calls for investments in reliable and affordable energy sources to protect families and businesses from potential financial strain due to rising bills or energy shortages. He describes the rate hike delay as a political tactic aimed at avoiding accountability during an election year.
“New Jerseyans deserve real solutions and Senate Republicans remain committed to pushing for long-term energy policies that put affordability and reliability first,” Bucco affirmed.
