Tiver, Torrissi Respond to PJM's Comments on Rising Energy Costs in New Jersey

In response to recent remarks made by a PJM spokesperson regarding New Jersey's rising energy costs, Senator Latham Tiver (R-08) and Assemblyman Michael Torrissi, Jr. (R-08) emphasized that the state's increasing energy bills are directly tied to Democrat-led energy policies.

Tiver and Torrissi stated that regional energy experts agree on this point, and the evidence is clear: New Jersey's current trajectory is unsustainable for consumers.

"A spokesperson from PJM recently said that New Jersey imports more energy than it produces, and that the state's renewable energy goals are contributing to the current cost increases," Senator Tiver said. "We cannot ignore the fact that these policies are causing a rise in rates for hardworking New Jersey families. For years, Republicans have been sounding the alarm about the harmful consequences of such policies. The time to act is now."

Tiver pointed out that his proposed bill, S-2839, known as the "Energy Security and Affordability Act", would help address these issues head-on by ensuring New Jersey's energy infrastructure is powered by reliable, diverse, and affordable energy sources. The bill aims to protect consumers from future price hikes by requiring the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to take energy security, diversity, and affordability into account when preparing the Energy Master Plan. The bill would also mandate economic and ratepayer impact analyses of energy generation projects before they are approved.

"The people of New Jersey should not have to choose between paying their electric bill and putting food on the table," Senator Tiver continued. "My bill will ensure that we are investing in a balanced energy future that keeps costs down and protects consumers. It's time to put the needs of New Jersey families first and prioritize affordable energy policies that will benefit everyone."

“Reliability and affordability. NJ Legislators need to be focused on those two core principles when it comes to utilities,” said Assemblyman Torrissi. “We need the other side of the aisle to commit to not decommissioning power plants until we have the energy ready to replace the energy lost. Solar and wind simply cannot power the entire grid at the moment. Mandates are crushing us.”