Atlantic City utility seeks electric rate increase

Atlantic City Electric Co. filed for a $69.7 million rate increase Tuesday that would increase the total monthly residential bill 7 percent, or $12.69 for a customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours.

The increase would only affect the South Jersey utility's distribution charge, which represents about a quarter of the total bill and is paid by all customers, regardless of which company generates their power. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities typically requires about a year to decide on rate cases.

The utility last sought a rate increase in August 2011 for 4.1 percent, which the BPU reduced to 1.9 percent. That increase went into effect last month.

   - Andrew Maykuth