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Garden State energy cooperative reports savings for Summit residents; council asked to renew participation
Summary
Concord Energy Services told council the Garden State Community Energy Cooperative returned rates below JCP&L's Basic Generation Service in the first months of the contract and saved participating Summit households roughly $9 a month on average; Concord requested a city participation form for 2026-27.
Concord Energy Services reported to Summit Common Council that the Garden State Community Energy Cooperative's auction produced supply rates below the utility comparator and that participating Summit residents saved a collective total of about $48,000 in the program's first two months.
Lisa Hib(b) (Concord Energy Services, director for government sector sales and project management) told council the cooperative awarded a 19-month contract to Direct Energy Services LLC that began with March 2026 meter reads. She said the cooperative's standard program rate is about 14.46 cents per kilowatt-hour; a 100% renewable option is about 14.61 cents. For comparison, the JCP&L Basic Generation Service rate averaged about 15.6 cents at the time of the auction.
Hib(b) said the program is flat-priced year-round rather than using the summer one/summer two tiers used in JCP&L's BGS. "Participating residents in the city of Summit have saved a collective total of over $48,000 in the first 2 months of the program," she said. She also noted the average household savings locally is roughly $9 per month.
Participation numbers reported to council: of 7,647 eligible Summit households, 1,608 account holders (about 23 percent) requested to opt out; 38 account holders requested a permanent opt-out. Concord recorded 194 returned mail pieces (opt-outs required by regulation) and 321 utility rejections (for reasons such as moves or third-party supplier status). Hib(b) stressed that residents who opt out can opt back in during the contract term with no penalty.
Concord asked the city to complete its participation form for 2026-27 and to consider a resolution to continue membership and participation in future auctions; the city clerk has a model resolution on file. Councilmembers asked follow-up questions about permanent opt-outs and how behind-billing interacts with program eligibility; Concord said an account behind 60-90 days can be dropped but noted a BPU moratorium on shutoffs was in effect.
Council action requested: staff asked the council to authorize a participation form for 2026-27 (including contract extensions and additional auctions). Concord and city staff will provide the clerk with the model resolution and further materials for July consideration if council chooses to continue participation.
