New Jersey families are drowning in utility bills that have tripled this summer, exposing the devastating consequences of reckless green energy policies that shut down reliable power plants before securing affordable replacements.
Story Snapshot
- PSE&G customers report monthly bills exceeding $1,000, with some households seeing costs triple from previous years
- Governor Murphy’s aggressive decarbonization policies closed nuclear and coal plants, creating dangerous supply shortages
- PJM grid operator confirms electricity supply loss caused primarily by premature generator retirements under green mandates
- State’s pathetic $30 rebate response dismissed as “Band-Aid over a bullet hole” by frustrated lawmakers
- Energy affordability crisis threatens Democratic control in traditionally blue New Jersey’s 2025 gubernatorial race
Green Policies Create Energy Supply Crisis
New Jersey’s electricity crisis stems directly from Governor Phil Murphy’s rushed decarbonization agenda that prioritized political virtue signaling over energy reliability. The 2018 closure of Oyster Creek nuclear plant eliminated a major source of stable, affordable electricity generation. Progressive shutdowns of coal-powered plants followed through 2024, removing critical baseload capacity before adequate replacement sources came online. PJM Interconnection’s Dan Lockwood confirmed that electricity supply losses resulted primarily from decarbonization policies causing generator retirements, compounded by surging demand from AI data centers and forced electrification initiatives.
Working Families Bear the Financial Burden
Highland Park residents like Rebecca now face monthly utility bills exceeding $1,000 for modest homes, representing costs that have tripled from previous levels. The average electric bill in Highland Park already runs 11% higher than the national average, with recent rate hikes of 20% or more statewide pushing middle-class families toward financial breaking points. These crushing costs force families to choose between heating their homes and paying other essential bills, while Governor Murphy’s administration offered an insulting $30 rebate that Assemblyman Alex Sauickie correctly characterized as inadequate relief.
Market Dynamics Reveal Policy Failures
New Jersey’s auction-based electricity procurement system amplifies the devastating impact of artificial supply shortages created by premature plant closures. Energy experts warn that the state “took generation off before they brought generation on,” creating dangerous supply-demand imbalances that drive prices skyward. The June 1, 2025 statewide rate hike represents one of the largest increases in decades, reflecting years of misguided policy decisions that prioritized environmental activism over economic reality. Regional grid operators struggle to balance supply and demand while politicians doubled down on unrealistic green energy timelines.
Political Consequences Threaten Democratic Control
The utility bill crisis transforms New Jersey’s political landscape as affordability concerns dominate the 2025 gubernatorial race between candidates addressing voter frustration with Democratic energy policies. Traditionally Democratic constituencies face the harsh reality that progressive climate policies translate into financial hardship for working families. Both Republican and Democratic candidates now promise energy policy reforms and rate structure changes, recognizing that economic survival trumps environmental virtue signaling at the ballot box. The energy affordability crisis could deliver New Jersey to Republican control, demonstrating the electoral consequences of prioritizing green ideology over constituent welfare.
Sources:
EnergySage – Highland Park Electricity Costs
PowerOutage.us – Highland Park Electricity Rates
Regional Planning Association – New Jersey Electricity Rate Analysis
NJ101.5 – New Jersey Electricity Rate Hike Coverage
