A congressional panel will hold a public field hearing on Tuesday (October 8) to investigate a surge in bills for customers of Atlantic City Electric. The hearing, hosted by Congressman Jeff Van Drew, will take place at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology Performing Arts Center in Mays Landing, New Jersey. Some customers have reported increases in their bills of up to 400 percent.
The hearing will bring together community leaders and energy policy experts to determine the causes of these surging power bills. It will also review local, state, and national energy policy. Joining Van Drew will be Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis from New York’s 11th District, Congressman Mark Alford from Missouri’s 4th District, and Congressman Ben Cline from Virginia’s 6th District.
Among the local officials scheduled to testify is Little Egg Harbor Township Mayor Blaise Scibetta. Other witnesses expected to appear include Allen Carter, president of the New Jersey Farm Bureau, and Audrey Lane, president of the Garden State Initiative. Meteorologist Nick Pittman will also provide a presentation at the hearing.
Representatives from Atlantic City Electric, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and the New Jersey Ratepayer Advocate have all been invited to attend. It is unclear whether any of the invitees will attend.
The hearing will be livestreamed for individuals who cannot attend in person. Congressman Van Drew's office has requested that customers who have not already contacted his office about this issue provide copies of their electric bills from the last two years, including the details of the electric charges. These documents will be submitted into the permanent congressional record.