2013 AARP Survey of New Jersey Residents Age 45 and Older on the Cost and Quality of Electric Utility Services

The 2013 AARP Survey of New Jersey Residents Age 45 and Older on the Cost and Quality of Electric Utility Services was a telephone survey of 800 residents age 45 and older.   Various questions were asked around the importance of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to provide consumer protections for consumers.   

The findings suggest that New Jersey residents 45+ want strong oversights by the BPU to ensure that the utility companies are adhering to performance standards and that excessive costs are not being transferred to customers.   Additionally, Residents age 45+ want utility companies to be held accountable for providing reliable service.  They believe that if utility companies could have taken steps either before or during Superstorm Sandy to limit the extent of the damage and/or length of power outages, utility stockholders should be required to pay the related costs rather than consumers.

Residents age 45+ want utility companies to be held accountable for providing reliable service.  69% of respondents believe that if utility companies could have taken steps either before or during Superstorm Sandy to limit the extent of the damage and/or length of power outages, utility stockholders should be required to pay the related costs rather than consumers.

Residents age 45+ support strong regulatory oversights.  83% of respondents want a comprehensive rate case review of storm related costs rather than recovery though new surcharges on consumer bills.  94% of residents age 45+ think the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) should evaluate proposed infrastructure improvements before utility rates are approved.   

When storms hit, the majority of residents (88%) think it is extremely or very important for the New Jersey BPU to ensure that excessive recovery costs are not passed on to consumers.

For more information, contact Cassandra Burton at 202-434-3547.