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Rockland Electric Company Files Investment Plan with NJBPU

  • Orange & Rockland Media Relations

  • Pearl River – June 30, 2025 -- 03:00 PM

Resiliency, Reliability and Affordability the Focus to Enhance Service for Customers


To provide for the continued safe, reliable, and secure operation of its electric delivery system, Rockland Electric Company (RECO) today requested a regulatory review of its electric delivery rates by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU). 

In RECO’s latest Investment Plan filing, the company reports on a series of initiatives designed to strengthen the electric service reliability and resilience for its customers while supporting a clean energy future and programs to help customers maintain affordable bills. The company last filed for a rate review in May 2021.

RECO has initiated a comprehensive Investment Plan for its service area for the next decade. Among those initiatives are projects that modernize the electric system by undergrounding more overhead electric lines to protect them from severe weather threats, upgrading aging substations, installing smart technology to prevent storm-related outages caused by downed trees and limbs, and continuing tree-trimming efforts to limit storm damage.

To help achieve the energy goals set forth by New Jersey, as well as meet the expectation of providing reliable and resilient service in the wake of increased severe weather events, customers will increasingly rely on electricity to provide a wider range of services such as heating their homes and charging their vehicles. As this dependance grows, electric service reliability and resiliency will become even more important – emphasizing the critical goals of RECO’s Investment Plan.

“Through our proven track record of clean energy and storm-resilient infrastructure investments, Rockland Electric Company continues to demonstrate our commitment to our customers’ growing needs for reliable electric service,” said Michele O’Connell, RECO president and CEO. “As our company continues to actively invest in our electric grid to enhance its reliability, we will also continue promoting and implementing various programs and initiatives that allow our customers to maintain affordable bills.”

Today’s filing begins a public review process with the NJBPU, the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel, and a number of other interested parties, including energy industry representatives and consumer and environmental advocacy groups. Customer input through public hearings is an essential part of the process. If approved by the NJBPU, new rates for the delivery of electric service would become effective in early 2026. 

Proposed Electric Delivery Rates

RECO seeks an increase in revenues for electric delivery of $18.7 million, an estimated increase of 6.6 percent on a total bill basis.

Under the proposed rates, the bill for a typical residential electric customer using a monthly average of 925 kWh would increase on average from approximately $206 to $223.

Electric System Resiliency Improvements

RECO has developed plans and designed projects that will build a stronger, more resilient energy delivery system that will be powered by clean, abundant, renewable sources. Among the proposed investments supporting these initiatives are: 

Montvale Substation: Throughout 2025, the Montvale Substation will be receiving various upgrades that include new distribution switchgear, as well as more circuits. A second transformer, which will provide additional capacity and redundancy for the area, will be added to the substation in 2027.

Closter Underground Projects: A $5 million project at Livingston Street in the Borough of Closter where approximately 9,300 feet of overhead lines will be replaced with a robust underground distribution system. The current system has experienced multiple service interruptions caused by tree contact, large-scale storms, and even vehicular collisions. Upon completion in 2026, the new underground system will provide a major benefit to customers with significantly fewer outages and more consistent delivery service during extreme weather events.

A similar project, a $2.6 million investment, will also be completed at Herbert and Homan avenues, where approximately 4,900 feet of overhead distribution lines will be replaced with an underground system.

West Milford Storm Hardening Projects: There are three projects for Union Valley Road, Greenwood Lake Turnpike, and Awosting Road in the Town of West Milford that will replace 21,200 feet of overhead lines with Hendrix Spacer Cable. This $3.1 million investment will allow the system to become significantly more resilient to storm-related disruptions and can better withstand environmental impacts like tree contact. It also reduces the need for frequent tree trimming and complements existing circuit automation to further improve reliability.

Franklin Lakes Storm Hardening Project: This $961,000 investment will replace 6,100 feet of overhead lines on Ewing Avenue in the Borough of Franklin Lakes with Hendrix Spacer Cable, which will allow the system to become significantly more resilient to storm-related disruptions and can better withstand environmental impacts like tree contact. It also reduces the need for frequent tree trimming and complements existing circuit automation to further improve reliability.

Mahwah Storm Hardening Project: This project will replace 5,500 feet of vulnerable overhead wire with stronger Hendrix Spacer Cable, spanning the area between Campgaw Road and Shadyside Avenue in the Township of Mahwah. This $1.2 million investment will address persistent reliability issues, increase storm resilience and ensure more consistent service for customers.

Affordability for Customers

In addition to the existing energy efficiency programs and incentives already offered to customers, RECO is also in the midst of implementing new NJBPU-approved clean energy programs aimed at achieving significant energy savings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These programs are designed to benefit all customers, particularly those with low-to-moderate incomes. RECO will invest $55 million into these programs between 2025 and 2027.

The complete rate review request is available on O&R’s website at: oru.com/njtariffs.

About Rockland Electric Company

Rockland Electric Company (RECO) is a regulated electric utility that serves approximately 75,000 customers in parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex counties in New Jersey. RECO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R), which in turn is owned by Consolidated Edison, Inc.

 

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