NJ's Rising Utility Prices Call For State Of Emergency, Gov. Candidate Says

Chopping away at skyrocketing electricity bills in New Jersey has become a key campaigning point for Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli as the governor candidates enter the home stretch of the 2025 election.

Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, and Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee, have each outlined their plans for reducing energy costs for Garden State residents.

See Sherrill’s campaign platform here. See Ciattarelli’s campaign platform here.

‘STATE OF EMERGENCY’

On Wednesday, Sherrill released her plan to combat rising utility bills, noting that if elected, she will declare a “state of emergency” in New Jersey on her first day as governor.

“Prices are spiking because of a huge power shortage — I’ll transform New Jersey’s energy picture to build new, cheaper, and cleaner energy generation, bring down families’ bills, and put the Garden State on track to hit our emissions and clean air goals,” the congresswoman said.

According to Sherrill, the plan includes freezing rate hikes for customers over the next year. It also “massively building out cheaper and cleaner power generation” – including creating more solar and battery storage projects, and upgrading already existing nuclear and natural gas plants.

The congresswoman was less enthusiastic about coal power.

“We’re importing dirty and expensive energy like coal from other states, and that has to stop,” she said.

The congresswoman said she is also calling for more transparency from utility companies like PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric and Rockland Electric to avoid “price gouging and collusion.”

Sherrill is also calling for immediate action from the state’s grid operator, PJM, and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities:

“New Jersey’s grid operator PJM has refused to connect enough new, cheap, and clean energy generation to the grid for years, but New Jersey waited to act until we were hit with a 20% rate increase. While other states were taking action, New Jersey hesitated and was sidelined for far too long. The result is that we don’t have enough in-state generation to keep costs low and we risk missing our clean power targets. That is unacceptable. In my administration, Board of Public Utilities nominees, who hold huge power over rate hikes, will share my commitment to driving down energy costs above all else. If they don’t, they shouldn’t get too comfortable.”

“New Jersey families are being crushed by their utility bills and we’ve reached a crisis point,” Sherrill urged.

“Meanwhile, Jack Ciattarelli is going to sit back and let Donald Trump drive up energy costs while making New Jerseyans foot the bill,” she said, criticizing the president's stances on energy production.

“I’m not afraid to take on anyone – whether it’s the utility companies, our grid operator, or my own party — to get it done,” she added.

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‘SKY-HIGH BILLS’

Ciattarelli has also made reducing energy bills a central part of his campaign for governor.

The Republican candidate – who has gotten a high-profile endorsement from President Donald Trump – has this to say about his plan for “Making Energy Policy Affordable – And Realistic – Again” on his website:

“Jack will draft and implement a new Energy Master Plan that promotes an all-of-the-above energy policy. Jack will repeal unrealistic and unaffordable state mandates and timelines regarding electric vehicle sales, household appliances, home renovation and home construction – which would make New Jersey even more expensive and punish working and middle-class residents the most. Jack will ban offshore wind farms from being built off our coast and along our Jersey Shore. Jack will withdraw New Jersey from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.”

Ciattarelli has called for beefing up natural gas and nuclear production to lower costs, pointing to small business owners like Rigoberto Tavarez of Villa Isabela Dry Cleaner in Paterson.

“Rising utility prices are making it harder for small businesses like his to keep costs low, and he’s feeling the impact firsthand,” Ciattarelli said. “As governor, I’ll expand natural gas and nuclear power to lower costs so entrepreneurs like Rigoberto can keep their doors open and their communities strong.”

Ciattarelli has linked Sherrill to the energy policies of her fellow Democratic lawmaker, Gov. Phil Murphy, decrying what he called “one-party rule” in Trenton. The congresswoman has gone on record in support of Murphy's goal to reach "100 percent clean energy" by 2035.

“Sky-high bills. Failed policies. And Mikie’s solution? Double down,” he quipped.

• See Related: How To Watch NJ Governor Debates For 2025 Election: Sherrill vs. Ciattarelli
• See Related: Electric Bill Relief Coming To NJ Residents (Here's How Much And When)
• See Related: Electric Bills Being Driven Up By AI Data Centers In NJ, New Report Says

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