As you know, a meeting of representatives from several nearby towns was held on February 6 in Eatontown to learn about and discuss the possibility of a regional coalition of towns to bid on and contract for a group purchase of aggregated electricity with a larger renewable content than we currently get from JCP&L. Tony M. and Amy attended and represented Middletown.

 

We have learned from our Sustainable Jersey contacts that 5 towns committed on the spot to the process of going forward with information-gathering (Eatontown, Long Branch, Red Bank, Asbury, Freehold Borough), with several more tentative pending approval, or interested in learning more. We at Middletown for Clean Energy have documented in our draft Energy Plan, which you received, the greatest short-term emissions savings can be attained from the community adoption of clean energy through aggregation. In addition, this action would count as one of 6 actions required to attain Sustainable Jersey Gold Star in Energy. Further, an Aggregation Consultant would cost Middletown NOTHING. The consultant would be paid AFTER the end of bidding and implementation via his/her fee built-in to each electric bill, after satisfied residents were receiving a discount on their electric bill.

 

Tony M. told us that the Committee needs more data about potential savings to consumers and the details of the program before making a decision. We urge you to resolve to go forward with this regional information gathering process, as no one can predict what the actual savings might be until the bids come back from vendors. (However, the attached table of towns in NJ that have adopted Renewable Aggregation shows that all towns so far are seeing SOME savings.) The timing might be a factor, since rates vary by season, so it may require more than one RFP round to reach acceptable terms.  But again, all future rounds of bidding cost Middletown nothing (and such delays do NOT need to be public).

 

Middletown may decide it wants to go it alone, but this information gathering would help in making a decision. Getting Middletown on the path to clean energy is mandatory, if we are going to preserve Middletown’s pristine environment and quality of life for our children and grandchildren of the future.

 

Pat and Steve Miller,

Middletown for Clean Energy