The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has approved the Residential Universal Bill Credit, a new initiative that will provide a $100 credit to all of the state’s 3.9 million residential electric customers. The credit, funded by the Solar Alternative Compliance Payment (SACP) and Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) funds, will be automatically applied to active electric accounts with four public, investor-owned utility companies: Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G), Atlantic City Electric, Jersey Central Power and Light, and Rockland Electric Company.
The bill credit will be distributed in two installments of $50 each, appearing on electricity bills starting in September and October. This measure is a response to the “PJM cost crisis,” which has led to rising electricity costs for consumers due to issues like soaring demand from data centers and delays in connecting new power generation projects to the grid.
“Providing economic relief to our residents is critical in managing rising electric costs from the PJM cost crisis,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “My administration is furthering our commitment to affordability for our residential ratepayers by providing direct assistance to lower the monthly cost of energy bills.”
NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy emphasized that this credit is part of a larger effort to address affordability.
“This is one of many ways that NJBPU is putting affordability first,” she stated. “Over $430 million in direct assistance to nearly every residential ratepayer is a key tool to help ratepayers in the short-term, while we work to bring more electricity online which will lower costs for all ratepayers.”
The $100 credit is part of a larger $430 million relief package to mitigate the recent spike in PJM capacity costs. Another component of this package is the Residential Energy Assistance Payment (REAP) program, which provides an additional $175 in direct relief to income-qualifying ratepayers. This REAP credit will be distributed via $25 credits each month between August and February 2026.
While the universal bill credit provides immediate financial assistance, officials are also encouraging residents to explore other available programs to help manage utility costs. A variety of aid programs exist for utility customers, including the Universal Service Fund, Fresh Start Program, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Winter Termination Program is also in effect from Nov. 15 to March 15, protecting qualifying ratepayers from service disruption during the coldest months.
