New Jersey lawmakers are delaying action on a bill calling for subsidies to Public Service Enterprise Group to keep nuclear plants open in Salem County.
New Jersey Sierra Club director Jeff Tittel says additions to the bill are making it worse for consumers. He says it could increase costs for ratepayers by more than $4 billion over the next ten years.
"Three billion plus for the nukes plus a billion for very expensive solar and some other stuff. But some of it is open ended. So, what we're doing in this bill is we're giving a blank check to PSE&G paid for by the ratepayers.”
Senate President Steve Sweeney says lawmakers are still working out the details of the bill with the Governor's office. He expects it'll be ready for the Budget Committee to act on next week.
Environment New Jersey director Doug O'Malley opposes the subsidies.
"This is a bill that can't be made better with some small tweaks. It needs to be entirely redrafted because otherwise we're adding on amendments to a bill that is going to be ripping off ratepayers and profiting already profitable nuclear facilities."