This bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a study on wave and tidal energy potential within 12 months of a pilot project. The study must evaluate environmental impacts, economic benefits, grid reliability, and potential incentive programs (like renewable energy credits) to support ocean energy development. It directs the BPU to establish goals for wave and tidal energy as part of the state's clean energy strategy, aiming to position New Jersey as a national leader. The findings will be reported to the Governor and Legislature within 15 months, with recommendations for future policy actions. This affects state energy planning and future development of ocean-based renewable energy infrastructure.
This bill directs New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study whether microgrids and distributed energy resources (like localized solar or battery systems) can reduce the duration of long-term power outages. The study requires the BPU to compare New Jersey's grid performance with other states, assess real-world microgrid impacts, consult with utilities and communities that have used such systems, and evaluate costs for ratepayers and the state. The BPU must submit a report with findings and recommendations within nine months, including an analysis of existing microgrid pilot programs. This study does not implement new policies but provides data to inform future grid resilience efforts.
This New Jersey Assembly Resolution (AR 94) expresses support for President Trump's declaration of a national energy emergency and his executive order aimed at expediting energy infrastructure projects. It does not create new laws but formally endorses efforts to streamline permitting for pipelines, refineries, and other energy projects to improve grid reliability and reduce energy costs. The resolution highlights concerns about grid strain, high energy prices, and the need for critical minerals to support energy infrastructure development. It will be sent to federal officials as a statement of legislative backing for these policy approaches.
New Jersey's A 255, the "Energy Storage System Procurement Act," requires electric utilities, power suppliers, and basic generation providers (collectively "electric service providers") to integrate energy storage systems into their long-term grid planning. The bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to establish rules within 180 days for procuring storage systems that improve grid reliability, reduce peak-demand generation needs, and defer infrastructure investments. It allows providers to submit early applications for systems under 15 megawatts before the rules are finalized and mandates that planning include cost-benefit analyses and safety safeguards for grid integration. The law explicitly preserves existing approved storage projects and aims to standardize how utilities evaluate storage as part of grid planning.
This bill creates the "New Jersey Grid Modernization Task Force" within the Governor's Office to develop a comprehensive plan for updating the state's electric grid. The task force, made up of state agency leaders, utility representatives, industry experts, and public members, will address grid upgrades needed due to rising electric vehicle adoption, residential solar installations, and electric heating systems. It must submit its master plan - including recommendations for maintaining funding for the Transportation Trust Fund - to the Governor and Legislature within one year, after which the task force will expire. The plan aims to prepare the grid for future energy demands while examining how electric vehicle growth affects transportation funding.
New Jersey's bill A1551 requires the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study advanced transmission technologies (ATT) that can improve existing power grid infrastructure without building new lines. These technologies include smart grid software, high-performance conductors, and systems that reduce congestion, increase capacity, and boost efficiency - potentially cutting costs and speeding up project timelines compared to traditional transmission builds. The BPU must evaluate ATT's benefits for safely meeting rising energy demand (driven by data centers, manufacturing, and population growth), assess state policies that have successfully adopted similar technologies, and hold public meetings to gather input. The study must be completed within one year, with findings reported to the Governor and Legislature to inform future grid planning.
This bill requires New Jersey's electric public utilities (like PSE&G and Jersey Central Power) to create and submit detailed grid modernization plans within one year of the law's effective date. The plans must include specific projects to modernize the electricity distribution system, such as integrating energy storage, improving storm resilience, supporting renewable energy connections, and aligning with state greenhouse gas goals. The Board of Public Utilities reviews and approves these plans within 240 days, and utilities must implement approved plans within 90 days. To offset potential rate increases for customers, the bill establishes a new "Grid Modernization Ratepayer Relief Fund" to provide grants, prioritizing projects funded by federal infrastructure acts.
This bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to establish a virtual power plant program by 2027. It directs the BPU to create a system where third-party aggregators coordinate customer-owned energy resources - like home batteries, smart thermostats, and electric vehicle chargers - to reduce peak electricity demand. The program must achieve a 500-megawatt reduction in peak demand by 2030, prioritize participation from low-income households and overburdened communities, and prohibit utilities from directly controlling customer devices. This directly affects electric utilities, customers with eligible energy resources, and grid operators by shifting energy use away from peak times to lower costs and improve grid reliability.
New Jersey bill A1568 requires electric utilities to create flood mitigation plans for substations that caused 24-hour or longer power outages affecting at least 5% of customers in a municipality or county within the past decade. Utilities must submit these plans within 120 days after the state utility regulator establishes flood-resistance design rules. The regulator must approve or modify plans within 180 days and mandate implementation within one year. Crucially, utilities cannot request rate increases until their approved flood mitigation plans are fully completed. This directly affects all electric utilities operating in the state with affected substations.
This bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to collaborate with neighboring states to research alternatives to PJM Interconnection's capacity market system, which has caused record-high electricity costs for consumers. It directs the BPU to evaluate three specific options: requiring electric utilities to secure 80% of their future capacity through long-term contracts, withdrawing from PJM's market to create a new multi-state compact, or leaving PJM's transmission grid entirely. The BPU must submit a report by December 2025 with findings and recommendations, addressing concerns that PJM's current system has led to $14.7 billion in projected consumer costs for 2025/2026 - up from $2.2 billion previously. The bill directly affects New Jersey ratepayers and electric utilities by seeking to reduce electricity costs through regional grid policy changes.
