New Jersey’s new governor moved quickly to put her stamp on Trenton — and to deliver on a central campaign promise — signing sweeping executive orders on energy costs just minutes after taking the oath of office.
During her inaugural address Monday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, Mikie Sherrill, the state’s 57th governor, signed two executive orders declaring a state of emergency over rising utility bills and directing immediate intervention to blunt rate hikes set to hit consumers this summer.
“I promised the people of New Jersey bold action to lower utility costs — and today, I’m delivering,” Sherrill said. “Trenton will no longer accept the status quo and kick the can down the road while New Jersey families pay higher bills — not on my watch.”
The first executive order deploys existing state authority and funding streams to offset electricity bill increases scheduled for June, while empowering the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to pause or modify utility actions that could further drive up costs.
The order also directs the BPU to conduct a broad review of utility business models to determine whether they are aligned with the state’s goal of delivering cost reductions to ratepayers.
The second order goes further, invoking the Disaster Control Act to formally declare a state of emergency on energy supply and cost. The declaration is designed to fast-track new power generation across the state, including accelerating the deployment of large-scale solar and battery storage projects and establishing a Nuclear Power Task Force to examine long-term baseload options.
Sherrill also ordered state agencies to identify permitting reforms to speed up new energy projects and directed the BPU to scrutinize so-called AI “ghost loads” — potential electricity demand from data centers — by requiring utilities to report on energy requests tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure.
“These executive orders will deliver relief to consumers and stop rate hikes, so New Jerseyans aren’t facing ever-increasing electric bills,” Sherrill said. She blamed recent spikes on the regional grid operator PJM Interconnection, while warning utilities that her administration would hold them accountable for preventing rates from climbing at what she called an unsustainable pace.
Energy affordability dominated the 2025 gubernatorial race, as New Jersey ratepayers absorbed nearly a 20 percent electricity supply increase last June following PJM’s auction process. Another, smaller increase is slated to take effect June 1.
Sherrill made utility costs a centerpiece of her campaign, repeatedly pledging to declare an emergency and freeze rate hikes if elected. Executive Order No. 1 follows through on that promise by calling for the use of Residential Universal Bill Credits and directing a multi-agency review of whether proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative can be used for direct ratepayer relief.
The order also instructs officials to revisit the Clean Energy Program budget to prioritize funding that offsets electricity supply costs borne by residential customers.
“I heard the people of New Jersey loud and clear — these rate hikes are unacceptable,” Sherrill said. “And as your governor, I will not stop fighting to lower costs and make New Jersey a more affordable place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Whether the executive orders deliver immediate relief — or spark resistance from utilities and grid operators — will shape the early months of Sherrill’s governorship.