JCP&L Suffers Major Setback In Quest To Build Power Lines

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Jersey Central Power & Light suffered a major setback Thursday in their attempt to build the Monmouth County Reliability Project. The company wanted to build a set of large-scale electric transformers right through the heart of Monmouth County towns such as Holmdel, Middletown and Aberdeen.

On Thursday, Administrative Law Judge Gail Cookson sided with the hundreds of Monmouth residents opposed to the project, deeming JCP&L did not meet the burden of proof for need. The case now goes to the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The Board has said, through a spokesperson, that Judge Cookson's opinion will be weighed as a factor in their yay-or-nay approval of the project.

The power lines would stretch for 10 miles along the NJ Transit North Jersey Coast right-of-way in Red Bank, Middletown, Hazlet, Holmdel, Aberdeen and Matawan. JCP&L says the transmission lines will greatly improve electric reliability in the area.

Judge Cookson disagreed.

The proposal "is untried, untested and likely infeasible due to its narrow width, age, and proximity to residential communities," Cookson wrote. JCP&L set up "'straw men' alternatives" and "failed to give much more than short shrift to alternative corridors and ignored non-transmission solutions entirely," the decision states, a copy of which was provided to Patch.

"We worked very hard and spent a lot of money fighting this, and it is wonderful to know the judge sided with us," said Rachael Kanapka, one of the RAGE leaders. "This is a wonderful day for RAGE. While we still await the BPU's final ruling, we feel we accomplished what we set out to do for Monmouth County."

"But there is a bigger picture here that our case revealed, and it's important people know that," she added. "Transmission lines make utilities money, and because of that, utilities propose them left and right. They have a lot to gain and nothing to lose by proposing transmission projects and hoping they stick."

JCP&L has denied they proposed the project to make money.

The New Jersey Sierra Club was actively involved in this issue, testifying and commenting numerous times against the project.

“When you go up against the utilities and the BPU, it can be David vs Goliath. This case shows us that sometimes, David wins," said New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel. "The Judge has declared that JCP&L did not prove need for the project or properly look at alternatives. This is good news for environment, clean energy, and people who didn’t want to see these massive lines ruin the view."

JCP&L told the APP it will review the decision before determining their next steps.

"We strongly disagree that JCP&L failed to prove the need for the Monmouth County Reliability Project," the utility said. "The initial decision contradicts the findings made by the regional grid operator and industry experts. Any alternatives to the proposed project would cause significantly greater disruption to the community, environmental impacts and project costs."

Local Congressional reps and other elected officials all said they hope JCP&L withdraws the proposal.

"It's a testament to the power of citizen action and to the fairness of the justice system even in what someone could easily have characterized as a David versus Goliath situation," said Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, a Republican.

“I agree with the Judge Cookson’s ruling that JCP&L has failed to demonstrate that the transmission line is necessary,” said Congressman Frank Pallone, a Democrat. “The decision only supports my long-held suspicion that MCRP is more about rate of return for shareholders than reliability for consumers.”

"It is a sweeping repudiation of JCP&L's whole rationale," said Monmouth's Republican Congressman Chris Smith. "The die has been cast. They would be fools, foolish and fools, to proceed with this … very ill-thought-out proposal."

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