Jack Ciattarelli, a candidate for Governor of New Jersey, has criticized state energy policies, claiming they have resulted in plant closures, stalled projects, and increased electric bills. He emphasized the need for energy independence in a statement made on X.
“New Jersey families are getting crushed with 17–20% hikes on their electric bills,” said Jack M Ciattarelli. “Because Trenton’s failed energy policies have us importing power instead of exporting it like we used to. Mikie Sherrill and Phil Murphy broke our energy policy — and now we’re all paying the price in higher bills. We can’t keep gambling our families’ futures on policies that don’t work.”
New Jersey households are currently experiencing significant increases in electricity bills, with hikes ranging from 17% to 20% as of June 2025, depending on the utility provider. According to NorthJersey.com and New Jersey Policy Perspective, these increases are attributed to higher wholesale costs in PJM’s capacity market, increased summer demand, and state energy policies linked to clean power objectives. In response, lawmakers are advancing transparency bills aimed at providing regulators with more oversight of PJM and reducing the impact on ratepayers.
Electricity rates in New Jersey continue to exceed the national average. ChooseEnergy reports that as of May 2025, the state’s average residential rate was approximately 20.49 cents per kilowatt-hour, about 17.3% higher than the national average of 17.47 cents. These elevated rates have resulted in some of the highest monthly bills for consumers in the region.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, New Jersey’s power mix reflects both dependence and transition. In 2023, natural gas accounted for 49% of in-state generation, nuclear power contributed 42%, renewables made up 8%, and coal was phased out entirely. Despite growth in clean energy sources, the state still imported nearly one-fifth of its electricity from the regional grid.
Ciattarelli is a Republican politician and businessman born in 1961 who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2011 to 2018 representing the 16th District. According to Ballotpedia and his official biography, he ran as the GOP nominee for governor in 2021 but narrowly lost to Phil Murphy. He is seeking the office again in 2025 with policy priorities that include tax reform, energy affordability, and reducing regulatory burdens on small businesses.
