By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
PLAINSBORO — Aiming to help residents save money on their electricity bill, Township Committee has introduced an ordinance that would allow it to buy electricity — at a lower rate — on their behalf.
A public hearing on the ordinance is set for Aug. 10 at Township Committee’s regular meeting. The 7 p.m. meeting will be held at the Plainsboro Township Municipal Complex at 641 Plainsboro Road.
Township Committee has retained an energy consultant — Gabel Associates — who will be on hand at the meeting to explain the energy aggregation program and to answer residents’ questions. Residents would not be required to participate in the energy aggregation program and could “opt out.”
If the ordinance is approved by Township Committee, it would create the Plainsboro Community Energy Aggregation Program, which is a state-authorized program aimed at helping residents save money on part of the electricity charges on their PSE&G energy bills.
The electricity charge of the PSE&G bill is made up of separate power supply and power delivery charges. The energy aggregation program would only apply to the power supply portion of a resident’s PSE&G bill for electricity. The power delivery portion of the bill would continue to be supplied by PSE&G at rates set by the state Board of Public Utilities.
The energy aggregation program would save money by combining all eligible customers into one bid, allowing the township to buy energy in bulk. The township would only award a contract to a qualified energy provider, and only if it would save residents money on the power supply price as compared to the current PSE&G power supply price.
PSE&G would continue to provide all emergency and safety services, meter reading, billing and service restoration. The establishment of the Plainsboro Community Energy Aggregation Program would not affect those services.
Residents who choose to participate in the Plainsboro Community Energy Aggregation Program would continue to receive one bill from PSE&G. Residents who are enrolled in PSE&G’s budget billing program would still be enrolled.
For more information, visit Plainsboro Township’s website at www.plainsboronj.com and click on “Municipal Electric Aggregation” at the bottom of the homepage.
