Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill has put rising utility costs at the center of her campaign, vowing that on “Day One” of her administration, she will declare a State of Emergency on Utility Costs. Her plan aims to provide immediate relief to families by freezing utility rates while simultaneously implementing long-term strategies to lower costs and increase New Jersey’s energy independence.
Sherrill’s policy is a direct response to recent utility bill increases, which have seen New Jerseyans hit with at least a 20% rate hike, with further increases anticipated. She attributes the crisis to a combination of factors, including a power shortage, inaction from the current state administration and what she calls the “mismanagement” of the grid operator, PJM. She also points to a recent tax hike bill from the Trump administration that she says will increase costs by an additional $220 per year.
Key pillars of the agenda
Sherrill’s plan is built on four core pillars:
- Immediate Rate Freeze: She promises to freeze utility costs for families for the next year as her administration works to expand power generation.
- Massive Increase in Power Generation: Sherrill plans to “build an energy arsenal” in the state by cutting red tape and expediting the development of cheaper, cleaner power sources. This includes breaking ground on new solar and battery storage projects, expediting capacity upgrades at existing nuclear plants, and modernizing natural gas facilities to make them cleaner. She emphasized that new solar projects must begin construction by July 2026 to receive federal tax credits.
- Accountability and Transparency: She will require a new level of transparency from utility companies like PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric, and Rockland Electric. This includes opening their books to see where costs are going and ensuring their decisions align with the interests of New Jersey consumers.
- Legal Action: Sherrill stated she will instruct her Attorney General to take President Trump and PJM to court, in coordination with other regional governors, to force them to end what she calls “mismanagement” and accelerate the connection of new energy projects to the grid.
Drawing on her background as a Navy helicopter pilot, Sherrill said she was trained to “run towards a crisis” and hold people accountable. She stated that New Jersey’s energy crisis is a result of a lack of leadership, and she is “willing to take on anybody,” including powerful utility companies and the administration in Washington, to get the job done for New Jerseyans.
