A hurdle has been jumped. Last month, the Governor signed into law A-2165.

This bill will substitute an unworkable and self-contradictory process of governmental energy aggregation, with a practical plan that could provide real rate reductions for New Jersey's municipalities, counties, school districts, community service institutions, homeowners and small to mid-sized businesses. Municipal aggregation offers individual energy consumers the opportunity to combine their buying power, so that they can negotiate lower rates and better service from the energy industry.

The main thrust of this bill is to permit municipalities to implement "all in/opt out" energy aggregation for residential consumers. This is a tool that was made available, as a pilot program, to one New Jersey municipality in the mid-90s. That municipality was Monroe Township in Middlesex County. And that tool saved the residents of Monroe Township money. It is a tool that has been made available to Ohio municipalities. And, to date, it has saved about 595,000 residents of over 150 Ohio municipalities money. In fact, the residents of Ohio municipalities that have aggregated are saving about double the amount saved by their fellow citizens under state mandated rate caps.

But the race for affordable and reliable energy for the residents of our municipalities continues. In that race, our chief opponent is the clock. On August 1, the state mandated rate caps will expire.

To help local officials learn more about their options under the new law, we've scheduled a major seminar. This session - "Energy Aggregation: Saving Dollars, Making Sense" - will take place on April 23 at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel. It will help you to understand the new law and how you can use it to secure the lowest possible energy rates for the people you are sworn to serve.

Energy aggregation may not work for everyone. I encourage you to come and see if you can make it work for your constituents.

FROM 407 WEST STATE STREET..... Energy Aggregation: Saving Dollars. Making Sense. A hurdle has been jumped. Last month, the Governor signed into law A-2165. This bill will substitute an unworkable and self-contradictory process of governmental energy aggregation, with a practical plan that could provide real rate reductions for New Jersey's municipalities, counties, school districts, community service institutions, homeowners and small to mid-sized businesses. Municipal aggregation offers individual energy consumers the opportunity to combine their buying power, so that they can negotiate lower rates and better service from the energy industry. The main thrust of this bill is to permit municipalities to implement "all in/opt out" energy aggregation for residential consumers. This is a tool that was made available, as a pilot program, to one New Jersey municipality in the mid-90s. That municipality was Monroe Township in Middlesex County. And that tool saved the residents of Monroe Township money. It is a tool that has been made available to Ohio municipalities. And, to date, it has saved about 595,000 residents of over 150 Ohio municipalities money. In fact, the residents of Ohio municipalities that have aggregated are saving about double the amount saved by their fellow citizens under state mandated rate caps. But the race for affordable and reliable energy for the residents of our municipalities continues. In that race, our chief opponent is the clock. On August 1, the state mandated rate caps will expire. To help local officials learn more about their options under the new law, we've scheduled a major seminar. This session - "Energy Aggregation: Saving Dollars, Making Sense" - will take place on April 23 at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel. It will help you to understand the new law and how you can use it to secure the lowest possible energy rates for the people you are sworn to serve. Energy aggregation may not work for everyone. I encourage you to come and see if you can make it work for your constituents.