Residents press council over safety, transparency of Atlantic City Electric energy storage project

Beach Haven — Multiple residents raised safety and transparency concerns on July 31 about an Atlantic City Electric (ACE) energy storage facility proposed near the borough, and the council encouraged residents to press ACE for answers and copy the borough on written questions.

Resident John Hail (319 Fair View Ave), who said he consulted local first responders and technical sources before publishing a commentary in the Sand Paper, told the council he had "a lot of concerns about public safety and a balance ... between the right to know ... and public safety." He urged residents to submit questions and letters so the council and ACE would have a formal public record. "We need to encourage everybody to do that," he said.

Mayor Lambert and other council members said they have repeatedly asked ACE to return to a council meeting or provide clearer answers but that, so far, ACE has declined formal attendance. Borough Manager Sherry Mason and the mayor said ACE has given only partial or department‑specific responses and that council staff have asked the utility to reconsider appearing for formal questions and answers.

Council members urged constituents to use the public comment link and to copy council officials when sending inquiries so staff can follow up. The council did not take any regulatory action at the meeting but said it would continue seeking ACE participation and collect public input to create a stronger, documented case if additional escalation is needed.

Direct technical claims about hazards, emergency response protocols or engineering risks were made by residents and referenced technical contacts; council members asked for more direct, written questions so that ACE and borough staff can provide verifiable, on‑the‑record responses.