If We Follow The Logic Of Senator Bob Smith, We Should Know The Costs Of ALL NJ Energy Proposals
Last week, Senator Bob Smith held a hearing on his legislation that would finally “direct the BPU to conduct a study to determine the feasibility, marketability, and costs of implementing large-scale geothermal heat pump systems in the State of New Jersey.”
Even the publication ROI-NJ was surprised by what they were seeing and noted it with this headline:
Wait, you mean you can do that? Because that is literally what we have been asking for at Affordable Energy For New Jersey for years. We think it is a very simple request.
On the one hand, we appreciate that they are going to look at the cost of one thing, especially since Senator Smith “was one of the only three state senators to vote against bipartisan legislation last session that would study the full cost of implementing an electrification mandate.”
But we have to wonder, why stop there? Studying the costs before implementing the plans seems like a good way too move forward so everyone knows what we are dealing with. And from this legislation, it is clear Senator Smith and his legislative colleagues are at least aware that there is a cost piece to this. Even if they and their advocates have barely acknowledged it publicly up until this point.
Maybe the Governor, BPU and Legislature should finally follow this model, which they have now shown they are willing to do, and study the cost of all NJ Energy proposals before moving forward.
Transparency Update: 1217 Days Without Releasing Costs
