“To develop the state of New Jersey and make it a better place to live.”
When Thomas N. McCarter uttered those words after taking the helm of the Public Service Corp. in 1903, he was thinking about how to meet New Jerseyans’ growing need for more modern and efficient sources of heat, light and (at that time) transportation.
Fast forward to 2018 and I firmly believe that those words continue to be the source of inspiration – and energy – for the people of today’s Public Service Electric and Gas. Permit me to give you some examples.
Today, “making the state a better place to live” means:
- Modernizing our electric and gas infrastructure – the pipes and wires we depend on – so that residents and businesses have the safe, reliable energy they need to power their lives, in good weather and bad.
- Helping customers use energy wisely to reduce their electricity and gas usage and keep bills affordable.
- Investing in solar and other clean energy sources to lessen greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to air pollution and climate change.
- Linking arms with educators, non-profit organizations and community leaders in the 351 municipalities we serve to improve the quality of life by providing educational grants, building playgrounds for kids and serving meals in soup kitchens.
We may be a 115-year-old company, but in many respects, I believe we are just getting started investing in the future of New Jersey – one that is cleaner and greener; more reliable and resilient, stronger and more sustainable.
Under our Energy Strong program, for example, we are elevating switching and substations out of the reach of floodwaters so customers don’t lose power. We are infusing the network with advanced microprocessors and other “smarts” to more quickly identify trouble spots and expedite repairs. We’ve already fortified the equipment that serves more than 250 hospitals, waste treatment plants and other critical customers so they have the power they need to serve the people of their communities when the next big storm hits.
With PSE&G’s Gas System Modernization Program, we are accelerating replacement of aging cast-iron and unprotected steel gas pipes in communities across our territory to reduce leaking methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Although we have been steadily replacing these pipes with more modern materials, we still have the most cast iron of any gas distribution company in the nation – a distinction we are striving to change with our current program and a much-needed expansion that is currently under review by state regulators.
Both these programs – as well as our other investments in transmission, solar and energy efficiency – are continuing the legacy of Thomas McCarter and those early Public Service employees who worked so hard to build the “future” we depend on today. As customer needs and weather patterns change, we must continue to make the necessary investments in the infrastructure and programs that are the very foundation of our state’s economy and way of life.
“Making the state a better place to live” is where PSE&G started, where we’ve been and where we intend to go. Our founder’s wise words provide the momentum to always improve how we deliver two of life’s most basic commodities. They describe who we are – a company called Public Service.
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