The N.J. Board of Public Utilities this week released a Request for Information to explore the role and opportunity to develop new nuclear energy resources to advance the state’s resource adequacy and clean energy goals.
It’s also a search for a way to keep costs under control.
New Jersey and the larger PJM Interconnection region face increases in electricity demand as a result of load growth from AI data centers, new manufacturing facilities and other energy intensive industries.
According to the PJM 2025 Long-Term Load Forecast, electricity demand within the region is expected to significantly increase, with a projected growth of nearly 40% in the next 14 years.
Additionally, in March of 2025, the NJBPU and Governor’s Office presented modeling completed in support of the 2024 Energy Master Plan, which indicated a growing need for clean firm capacity to maintain system reliability post-2035. Here’s what all that means: To ensure resource adequacy can be met in the region while also driving down electricity capacity prices for ratepayers, new sources of electricity generation must come online to grow the supply of resources into the electricity grid. Nuclear technologies, including advanced nuclear technologies, are potential opportunities that can help meet the growing need for new sources of generation.
The deadline to submit responses to the RFI is 5 p.m. on June 23.
The RFI can be found here.
