May 11, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

New Jersey Natural Gas Recognized for Exceptional Dedication to the Environment

Highlighting its commitment to environmental stewardship and helping customers save energy, New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) was named a 2018 Environmental Champion according to a Cogent Reports study of the nation’s utility customers by Market Strategies International. The designation is based on the results of Market Strategies’ annual Utility Trusted Brand and Customer Engagement™: Residential study. NJNG has been recognized as an Environmental Champion every year since the study’s inception in 2014.

“We believe helping customers save energy and money is important for our environment and energy future,” said Stephen Westhoven, COO of New Jersey Natural Gas. “It is gratifying to have our customers value our commitment to environmental stewardship and be recognized as an Environmental Champion for the fifth consecutive year and top in the state.”

The Utility Trusted Brand and Customer Engagement™: Residential study is based on a nationwide survey of 58,000 customers of the 131 largest natural gas and electric utility providers in the U.S. The sample design uses U.S. census data and strict quotas to ensure a demographically balanced sample of each evaluated utility’s customers based on age, gender, income, race and ethnicity. The Environmental Champion designation reflects consumer ratings of critical environmental attributes, including commitment to the environment and environmental causes, tools and programs to help customers save energy and green initiatives for building and vehicles.

According to Market Strategies, these environmental scores provide a key performance benchmark for utilities. When utilities score 700 or higher on the study, consumer demand doubles for the programs that help consumers save energy and support the environment. NJNG’s score of 707 (on a 1,000-point scale) ranks in the top tier among all natural gas utilities in the east region and exceeded the industry average of 675. It also led all utilities in the state.

Since 2009, NJNG has invested more than $156 million in energy-efficiency programs to help customers save money, reduce greenhouse emissions and enhance the comfort of their homes. Over the last decade, nearly 51,000 customers and 2,600 contractors have participated in NJNG’s The SAVEGREEN Project®, helping to grow the green energy economy and generate over $385 million in economic active in the state.

About New Jersey Resources

New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR) is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. NJR is composed of five primary businesses:

  • New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR’s principal subsidiary, operates and maintains over 7,400 miles of natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve over half a million customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean and parts of Morris, Middlesex and Burlington counties.
  • NJR Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar and onshore wind projects with a total capacity of more than 319 megawatts, providing residential and commercial customers with low-carbon solutions.
  • NJR Energy Services manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services and customized energy solutions to its customers across North America.
  • NJR Midstream serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers through its 50 percent equity ownership in the Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility and its 20 percent equity interest in the PennEast Pipeline Project.
  • NJR Home Services provides service contracts as well as heating, central air conditioning, water heaters, standby generators, solar and other indoor and outdoor comfort products to residential homes throughout New Jersey.

NJR and its more than 1,000 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as The SAVEGREEN Project® and The Sunlight Advantage®.

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