PSE&G Prioritizes Affordability while Enhancing Reliability

NEWARK, N.J., Dec. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PSE&G, New Jersey's largest electric and gas utility, today filed its scheduled rate case with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Filed as required by the NJ Board of Public Utilities' rules, this rate case is PSE&G's first comprehensive electric and gas rate case in nearly six years. A main component of the case is to recover capital investments made to strengthen and modernize the state's electric and gas infrastructure since PSE&G's last rate case in 2018. PSE&G's request is among the lowest proposed rate increases filed by a NJ public utility over the past several years. 

PSE&G continues to work hard to keep its customers' bills affordable. With this filing, a PSE&G combined electric and gas bill is about 3% of NJ household income for median-income customers and about 2% of household income for low-income customers that take advantage of available payment support programs. Over the past 15 years, the affordability of PSE&G bills has improved by approximately 40%.

The PSE&G rate case filed today seeks to recover over $3 billion in capital investments made over the past several years. The PSE&G rate case requests an overall bill increase of approximately 9%. For a typical combined residential electric and gas customer, it would represent an increase of approximately 12%, or an average of $25 per month.

PSE&G's prudent investment strategies continue to lead to superior reliability performance and customer satisfaction while also maintaining the lowest operations and maintenance costs per customer compared to state and regional peers. Over the last 20 years, PSE&G has improved reliability by approximately 20% and reduced methane emissions by approximately 35%.

PSE&G was recently awarded the 2023 ReliabilityOne® Award for Outstanding Metropolitan Service Area Reliability Performance in the Mid-Atlantic Region for the 22nd consecutive year and the national 2023 ReliabilityOne® Outstanding Customer Engagement Award. In 2023, J.D. Power named PSE&G number one in customer satisfaction for both Residential Electric and Business Electric Service in the East among Large Utilities.

PSE&G encourages all customers to take advantage of our energy efficiency programs for residential customers or business customers, and tips and tools to help reduce energy use and manage monthly bills. If you or someone you know needs help paying your PSE&G bill, please visit pseg.com/help. Deferred payment options and payment assistance resources are available. Customers who have other concerns about their PSE&G bills should contact us via pseg.com/myaccount, PSE&G mobile app or by calling 1-800-436-PSEG (7734).

About PSE&G

Public Service Electric & Gas Co. is New Jersey's oldest and largest gas and electric delivery public utility, as well as one of the nation's largest utilities. PSE&G is the 2022 Edison Award recipient from the Edison Electric Institute. PSE&G has won the ReliabilityOne® Award for superior electric system reliability in the Mid-Atlantic region for 22 consecutive years. For the second consecutive year, PSE&G is the recipient of the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award in the Energy Efficiency Program Delivery category. In addition, in 2023 J.D. Power named PSE&G number one in customer satisfaction with residential and business electric service in the east among large utilities. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 16 consecutive years (www.pseg.com).

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain of the matters discussed in this communication about our and our subsidiaries' future performance, including, without limitation, future revenues, earnings, strategies, prospects, consequences and all other statements that are not purely historical constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such statements are based on management's beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. When used herein, the words "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "believe," "expect," "plan," "should," "hypothetical," "potential," "forecast," "project," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ are often presented with the forward-looking statements themselves. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements made by us herein are discussed in filings we make with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. These factors include, but are not limited to: 

• any inability to successfully develop, obtain regulatory approval for, or construct transmission and distribution, and our nuclear generation projects;
• the physical, financial and transition risks related to climate change, including risks relating to potentially increased legislative and regulatory burdens, changing customer preferences and lawsuits;
• any equipment failures, accidents, critical operating technology or business system failures, severe weather events, acts of war, terrorism or other acts of violence, sabotage, physical attacks or security breaches, cyberattacks or other incidents that may impact our ability to provide safe and reliable service to our customers;
• any inability to recover the carrying amount of our long-lived assets;
• disruptions or cost increases in our supply chain, including labor shortages;
• any inability to maintain sufficient liquidity or access sufficient capital on commercially reasonable terms;
• the impact of cybersecurity attacks or intrusions or other disruptions to our information technology, operational or other systems;
• a material shift away from natural gas toward increased electrification and a reduction in the use of natural gas;
• failure to attract and retain a qualified workforce;
• inflation, including increases in the costs of equipment, materials, fuel and labor;
• the impact of our covenants in our debt instruments and credit agreements on our business;
• adverse performance of our defined benefit plan trust funds and Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund and increases in funding requirements and pension costs;
• fluctuations in, or third party default risk in wholesale power and natural gas markets, including the potential impacts on the economic viability of our generation units;
• our ability to obtain adequate nuclear fuel supply;
• changes in technology related to energy generation, distribution and consumption and changes in customer usage patterns;
• third-party credit risk relating to and purchase of nuclear fuel;
• any inability to meet our commitments under forward sale obligations and Regional Transmission Organization rules;
• reliance on transmission facilities to maintain adequate transmission capacity for our nuclear generation fleet;
• the impact of changes in state and federal legislation and regulations on our business, including PSE&G's ability to recover costs and earn returns on authorized investments;
• PSE&G's proposed investment programs may not be fully approved by regulators and its capital investment may be lower than planned;
• our ability to advocate for and our receipt of appropriate regulatory guidance to ensure long-term support for our nuclear fleet;
• adverse changes in and non-compliance with energy industry laws, policies, regulations and standards, including market structures and transmission planning and transmission returns;
• risks associated with our ownership and operation of nuclear facilities, including increased nuclear fuel storage costs, regulatory risks, such as compliance with the Atomic Energy Act and trade control, environmental and other regulations, as well as financial, environmental and health and safety risks;
• changes in federal and state environmental laws and regulations and enforcement;
• delays in receipt of, or an inability to receive, necessary licenses and permits and siting approvals; and
• changes in tax laws and regulations.

All of the forward-looking statements made in this communication are qualified by these cautionary statements and we cannot assure you that the results or developments anticipated by management will be realized or even if realized, will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, us or our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements in making any investment decision. Forward-looking statements made in this communication apply only as of the date of this communication. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements from time to time, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even in light of new information or future events, unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this communication are intended to qualify for the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

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SOURCE PSE&G