Utility worked with Christie staff to shield data: Emails

Source: Associated Press

Utility worked with Christie staff to shield data: Emails

By MICHAEL CATALINI, ASSOCIATED PRESS TRENTON, N.J. — Jan 24, 2018, 12:21 PM ET

Lobbyists for New Jersey's largest utility worked with former Gov. Chris Christie's administration to craft a $300 million bail out for nuclear power, while adding language to shield the company's financial information from the public, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

The utility last month proposed adding more "stringent" financial confidentiality language to the legislation, according to correspondence between Public Service Enterprise Group officials and Christie's administration obtained through a records request.

That language led to some of the harshest criticisms from the measure's opponents, who say the company is trying to get away without showing financial need for the rescue. The bill is set for a vote Thursday in a state Senate committee.

PSEG spokesman Paul Rosengren said the company has an obligation to keep financial information private and added that public records laws take into account the occasional need to keep proprietary information confidential. He added that the state regulatory agency — a public body — would have all of the financial information and would "presumably act in the public interest."

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