New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who last week signed legislation to prop up the state’s solar industry, was spreading a bit more sunshine yesterday.
He gave the state’s largest utility, PSEG, a media boost by attending the groundbreaking ceremony for a 1.06 megawatt solar farm on a brownfield site in Hackensack.
PSEG has been leading all New Jersey utilities in developing solar and yesterday announced plans to widen the gap.
Chairman Ralph Izzo used the event to announce that his company is seeking approval from the state Board of Public Utilities to invest up to $883 million to expand its Solar 4 All loan program and to develop an additional 233
megawatts of solar capacity.
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That’s good news for the environment and for alternative energy advocates.
And not bad for PSEG which expects to recoup the growth through higher electric rates.
The latter hasn’t escaped the notice of high-use sectors of the business community who grumble that they’re already paying too much for energy.
“You can bet we’ll be taking a good look at it,” said Stefanie Brand, director of the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel, the state’s consumer advocate.
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