Rep. Jeff Van Drew is calling on every member of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to resign over what he calls failed oversight of Atlantic City Electric.

The demand, which Van Drew (R-2) made public Tuesday, Sept. 15, escalates his fight with the state utility regulator after a federal audit found ACE overbilled transmission customers and committed errors related to federal tax law. It marks the fourth time since last year that the congressman has called for the board's resignation, according to The SandPaper.

Cherry Hill residents pay ACE bills. The utility serves roughly 556,000 customers across South Jersey and charges an average residential rate of 23 cents per kilowatt-hour, about 18% above the statewide average of 19.73 cents, NJ Spotlight News reported Sept. 2.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) audited ACE's books from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2025, and notified the utility of its findings by letter Aug. 6. Auditors identified five areas of financial noncompliance and issued 22 recommendations. Two findings relate directly to customer billing: ACE improperly recorded payments to settle employment-discrimination claims, overstating its transmission revenue requirement, and it mishandled inventory write-offs that may have further inflated what transmission customers paid. The remaining findings involve mishandled equipment write-offs, a misapplication of federal tax law and improper accounting of bank fees.

Exelon Corp., ACE's Chicago-based ultimate parent company, did not contest the findings. Associate general counsel Cynthia LM Holland wrote to FERC on July 28 that "ACE does not contest the draft report and accepts the recommendations and corrective actions contained therein," according to The SandPaper.

ACE has downplayed the financial impact on households. Spokesman Frank Tedesco said Sept. 4 that a preliminary review of billings suggests any refunds would amount to "less than two cents per month over a 12-month period," the Courier-Post reported.

Van Drew rejected that estimate. "The only thing worth two cents is Atlantic City Electric's response," he said Sept. 4. He added that FERC confirmed transmission customers were overcharged and that those costs are passed through to ratepayers.

In a Sept. 2 letter to NJBPU President Ben Hertz-Shargel, Van Drew wrote that the board "spent years approving increase after increase instead of looking into this." He accused the board of a pattern of dismissing ratepayer concerns. Hertz-Shargel succeeded Christine Guhl-Sadovy as board president earlier in the summer.

The NJBPU responded Sept. 9 with an institutional statement saying transmission-related issues fall under federal jurisdiction while the board oversees distribution and retail rates. The board said it is reviewing the audit findings and awaiting ACE's corrective action plan. The board did not address Van Drew's resignation demand.

ACE spokeswoman Jessica Grullón told NJ Spotlight News on Sept. 2 that the audit "does not identify or quantify a specific overbilling amount" and that analyses were being completed as part of the company's compliance process.

FERC has ordered ACE to submit a refund analysis within 90 days. ACE's corrective action plan was due to the NJBPU the week of Sept. 15. ACE reported $188 million in profit for 2025, up from $155 million in 2024. Power bills across New Jersey spiked an average of 20% in 2025.