Garden State Times

Following a meeting of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco expressed concerns over a decision to modify the scope of work for Energy and Environment Economics Inc.'s contract related to Governor Murphy's Energy Master Plan. The discussion took place in an Executive Session, which Bucco criticized for lacking transparency.

"Yesterday, the Governor painted an overly optimistic picture of fairness and affordability in his State of the State address and today we’re forced to confront the reality that his political interference in our energy systems is driving up costs for New Jersey residents and worsening our affordability crisis," stated Sen. Bucco. He referenced a significant increase in power supply auction costs last summer, suggesting these will soon impact ratepayer bills.

Bucco further criticized Governor Murphy's approach to energy policy, claiming it prioritizes political agendas over practical solutions. "Instead of taking the advice of energy experts to craft a responsible, reliable, and diversified cost-effective energy strategy for New Jersey, the Governor continues to cater to the far-left wing of his party who put pie-in-the-sky planning before affordability," he said.

He concluded by labeling the Energy Master Plan as financially problematic from its inception. "Now, despite a serious lack of transparency and no cost analysis on its full impact to New Jerseyans, the BPU is on the verge of wasting even more ratepayer dollars on this failing agenda," Sen. Bucco concluded.