U.S. Congressman Jeff Van Drew
Congressman Jeff Van Drew is calling for a federal audit into what many have called an unexplainable increase in local electric bills.
The congressman put together a public hearing in Mays Landing with the help of local meteorologist Nick "Nor'easter Nick" Pittman who started a petition after hearing stories about people's Atlantic City Electric bills increase as much as four to five times what they had been.
The increases "are unlike anywhere else in the country," Van Drew said. "It is nothing short of our own energy crisis."
He pointed to one constituent's bill who allowed him to use her name.
Lisa Thomas saw a usage increase of 42 percent from July through August of 2023 to this past July through August.
But the increase in cost was not 42 percent, he noted. Instead, her bill went from $433 to $1,269, a 293 percent increase.
"The numbers don't add up," he said.
Additionally, he alleged that Atlantic City Electric is now sending out non-union workers to knock on the doors of "people who have always paid their bills on time" to tell them to pay up or be shut off before Nov. 15, which is when the company no longer is allowed to shut customers off due to expected frigid temperatures that begin around that time.
Representatives from both Exelon — Atlantic City Electric's parent company — and the Board of Public Utilities were invited but declined, Van Drew said.
Pittman was unable to attend the hearing, but recorded a video that included comparing previous year's usage, saying that 2022 was a better comparison due to last year being unseasonably cool.
Still the numbers did not add up, he said.
CLICK HERE to watch the full hearing on YouTube.
