Residents urge BPU to fix complaint handling, prevent dangerous shutoffs

Residents and consumer advocates used the Board of Public Utilities’ first quarterly public meeting of 2026 to press the agency for faster, clearer complaint handling and stronger protections against utility shutoffs.

Dr. Trebanisha Stewart described calling the BPU’s complaints team after a December 2025 billing dispute for her grandmother and said a March 4 follow-up produced a recalculated bill that exceeded $1,000. “The representative’s response was to just answer when they call,” Stewart told the board, saying staff could not explain whether her complaint was in a contested status and that a supervisor later told her, “I don’t deal in hypotheticals. I only deal in facts,” before the line disconnected. She asked the board to audit complaint procedures, train staff on appeal and contested-case rules, and provide clear steps for third‑party callers and authorized representatives.

Barbara Taylor Holmes, another resident, recounted having her electricity shut off last winter by Atlantic City Electric and described the fear the outage caused for a senior living alone. “When I opened my door, my house was literally black. No lights, no refrigerators, no phones,” she said. Holmes said she was told she earned “too much” to qualify for assistance and that she had to borrow money to restore service. She asked the board to review two years of her account history and to change bylaws to protect seniors and working-class customers.

The board’s chair expressed sympathy and pledged follow-up. “We take customer assistance here very, very seriously,” the chair said, adding that Stacy Peterson, the board’s deputy executive director, would look into Stewart’s case and that the customer assistance division would reach out to Holmes. The chair also noted the state’s winter and summer termination programs and encouraged customers to sign up with utilities to avoid shutoffs during program months.

Commissioners and staff acknowledged affordability pressures and urged residents to use the board’s assistance programs. Jay Weisman, a policy assistant with New Jersey LCB, urged automatic enrollment of eligible households into the universal service fund and other energy-assistance programs to reduce barriers to aid.

What the board will do next

Board staff said they will follow up directly with the commenters to gather required documentation. The meeting record shows no formal vote or new rulemaking at this session; commenters were encouraged to submit written statements by the posted deadline and to participate in upcoming stakeholder processes. The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for March 18 (in person and live streamed).