New Jersey’s Energy Crisis Demands Lawmakers Meet the Moment

New Jersey is at an inflection point on energy and the political pressure to take action is building. Electricity demand in the state is rising at an unprecedented rate and energy bills are through the roof, but the Trump Administration’s attacks on the most promising, affordable solutions to this affordability crisis is thwarting investment and halting once-certain projects altogether, putting energy supply, jobs, and New Jersey’s economic growth at risk.

In New Jersey alone, shifting federal policy has already threatened nearly 8,000 clean energy jobs and $2.7 billion in planned investment across solar, offshore wind, battery storage, and grid upgrades. These attacks are putting real jobs at risk – construction workers, skilled trade positions, and manufacturing opportunities tied directly to whether projects move forward. At the same time, New Jersey families are facing some of the highest utility bills in the country.

In the face of federal attacks on our energy progress, we need state leaders to step up and lead. The good news is New Jersey has a vision for its energy future.

Recognizing both the urgency and the opportunity, Governor Mikie Sherrill has put early markers down on where she wants the state to go. Some of Governor Sherrill’s first actions after taking office emphasize getting cleaner power online quickly and using today’s grid more efficiently. By elevating strategies like virtual power plants, speeding up interconnection and permitting of solar and storage, she has identified practical ways to tackle affordability and reliability at the same time.

Virtual power plants allow homes and businesses with rooftop solar, batteries, and smart devices to work together during periods of high demand, reducing strain on the grid and helping prevent price spikes. Storage projects help ensure power is available when it’s needed most, improving reliability while reducing exposure to volatile fuel costs.

These are not abstract concepts. They are concrete tools designed to bring more power online faster and more affordably than traditional infrastructure alone. Clean energy is now among the most cost-effective sources of new electricity. It can be deployed relatively quickly, attract private capital, and reduce long-term price volatility. States that move decisively are seeing new jobs and stronger grid resilience. Those that hesitate risk losing both economic momentum and consumer savings.

Governor Sherrill has also signaled a desire to hold PJM accountable for the market rules and planning decisions directly impacting what New Jersey residents pay for power.

The Governor’s policy foundation is sound. The question now is implementation.

Executive orders set direction, but follow-through determines impact. Stakeholders across the energy sector are looking for clarity on next steps, job-creating businesses seek predictability, ratepayers need relief, and workers need projects breaking ground.

State Senate and House members must get behind Governor Sherrill’s efforts to accelerate these pressure-tested strategies.

New Jersey has the workforce, the demand, and the policy structures to lead. Governor Sherrill has demonstrated an understanding of the barriers holding the system back and the strategies to overcome them. Now the state must translate vision into measurable progress — scaling programs, meeting timelines, and pressing for reforms that unlock stalled projects.

New Jersey can lower costs, protect jobs, and modernize its energy system at the same time. In a moment of federal uncertainty and rising regional pressure, pace matters. The plan is there and delivering on it will determine whether New Jersey truly meets this moment.

Kim Jemaine is Managing Director of Counterspark, a national climate and clean energy advocacy organization that champions the technologies needed to address the climate crisis and the political leaders with the will to tackle it.