Garden State Times

Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) criticized the Murphy administration's energy master plan (EMP), attributing New Jersey's rising utility bills to its policies. He cautioned that without a policy shift, rates will escalate further in 2025.

"Make no mistake, Governor Murphy's energy master plan is the driving force behind the absurd surge of utility bills across the state," said Sen. Pennacchio. "I am afraid it will only get worse as our grid efficiency falters and our demand for electricity grows. The governor needs to stop pandering to the far left and start doing what's right for the Garden State by listening to experts who understand the real-world impacts of his policies."

The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area now ranks as the 5th most expensive in the country for electricity prices. According to Energy Bot data, updated daily, the average cost in this metro area is 28.80 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Comparatively, New Jersey residents pay an average of 19.88 cents per kWh, which is 21% higher than the national average of 16.41 cents per kWh—and rates are still rising.

"The Murphy administration has fanned the flames of rising costs with disastrous EV mandates, and catering to the wind and solar industry, all while ignoring Republican legislators who are calling for an all-inclusive energy policy with respect to nuclear, natural gas, and renewables,” Sen. Pennacchio continued.

In 2023, Senator Pennacchio raised concerns about Governor Murphy’s extreme energy master plan and efforts to ban gas stoves. Now, he warns that electrification mandates will further increase electricity costs, citing an 800% energy price rise at PJM's latest power auction due to Democrat policies.

This comes alongside rate increases approved by Governor Murphy that took effect on June 1 from the Board of Public Utilities.

"If you think energy prices are bad now throughout New Jersey, just wait until PJM's price increase hits in 2025," Sen. Pennacchio continued. "We're shutting down reliable energy sources too quickly while renewables aren’t coming online fast enough or being built due to supply chain issues to keep up with demand. It's a recipe for disaster that will only worsen if we don't change course immediately."

A recent report indicated another wind developer's project delay in New Jersey due to supply chain issues, nearly one year after Orsted abandoned their offshore wind development citing similar industry-wide problems.

To speak with Sen. Pennacchio, contact Chris Sivel, Deputy Communications Director at [email protected].