Governor Phil Murphy is swapping out two Board of Public Utilities (BPU) members, but serious doubts remain concerning whether the notoriously shadowy institution will change its ways anytime soon.
Murphy’s commissioner picks (made Friday) are Somerset County Democratic Vice Chair Zeon Christodoulou and ex-Assemblywoman Maria Rodriguez-Gregg, a liberal Republican from Medford and the recently-appointed government relations director for Montclair State University. The pair will replace former Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula and Diane Solomon, wife of N.J. Supreme Court Justice Lee Solomon.
Both appointees are replacing holdovers whose terms previously expired. Sources familiar with the process report that Murphy had a particularly difficult time finding a “Republican” for the slot which will now be filled by Rodriguez, an anti-Trumper and regular critic of the GOP since leaving office.
The BPU places an outsized role in state energy policy and prices.
At the moment, BPU watchdogs are anxiously waiting for the price tag of Phil Murphy’s “Energy Master Plan.” Independent estimates predict a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars to retrofit homes and eliminate natural gas stoves among other radical plans designed to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050, but the BPU has refused to disclose its own cost estimate two years after dropping the master plan.
Critics of the master plan are nevertheless calling on Rodriguez-Gregg and Christodoulou to show their cards ahead of their confirmation proceedings.
“It is our sincere hope that, if confirmed, the new members first tasks will be to release the original cost estimate of the Energy Master Plan and ensure the second cost study underway captures the true total costs of the EMP on New Jersey’s working families and businesses,” reacted Executive Director of Affordable Energy for New Jersey Ron Morano.
“Our energy leaders must commit to transparent energy policy focused on affordability and reliability, not saddle our residents with high costs and new taxes. We urge the new appointees to stand up for affordable energy and promote real transparency on the Board.”
BPU nominations require Senate approval.
