Gottheimer unveils plan, bipartisan bills aimed at lowering utility costs in New Jersey
NEW JERSEY — U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Monday announced a plan and several bipartisan legislative proposals aimed at increasing energy production, modernizing the electric grid and lowering utility bills for New Jersey residents and small businesses.
Gottheimer, a Democrat representing New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District, said electricity costs in the state have risen by about 45% over the past two years, placing additional financial strain on families.
Speaking in Fort Lee alongside local officials and labor leaders, Gottheimer outlined what he described as an “all-of-the-above” strategy to expand energy supply and address growing demand.
“Energy isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Nobody in this state should be sweating over an electric bill at the kitchen table. We’re going to build more energy, cut red tape, hold the system accountable, and fight like hell to make sure Jersey families aren’t getting squeezed every time they flip on a light switch.”
Gottheimer said energy demand in the region has increased sharply, driven in part by new technologies such as artificial intelligence and data centers, and is projected to rise further in the coming years.
“In 1883, Roselle, New Jersey was the first town entirely in all of America lit by centralized power using overhead wires. And, today, we have places in Jersey that can’t get enough electricity to power a lightbulb,” he said.
“The reality is that energy demand has shot up nearly ten percent over the last five years, and it’s set to rise even more – by 25 percent – by 2030. And, the AI revolution is only just beginning, and it will continue to have a dramatic impact on the energy we’ll need for our universities, government, and all the jobs of tomorrow, including all of those great labor jobs. All of those data centers today will open up a host of new doors we haven’t even thought of – and they’ll take energy.”
Gottheimer said New Jersey’s electric grid has lost roughly 1,500 megawatts of capacity over the past eight years, enough to power about 1.2 million homes.
“Over the last eight years, New Jersey’s grid lost about 1500 megawatts – that’s enough for about 1.2 million homes, or the number of homes in Bergen, Essex, and Hudson Counties combined. Every shovel kept out of the ground – and every plant that we haven’t built – has driven up your rates. It’s a simple supply and demand problem.”
Gottheimer concluded, “One other thing: it’s a false assumption to say that the U.S. has to sacrifice longer-term climate goals if we take an all-of-the-above energy approach domestically. We can do both – and get energy prices down. We can have nuclear, natural gas – and alternative energies.”
The congressman outlined six steps he said could help reduce electricity costs and improve reliability. The proposals include expanding power generation in New Jersey through a mix of natural gas, nuclear, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal and battery storage; accelerating permitting for energy infrastructure projects; improving coordination between federal, state and local agencies; and converting aging coal plants to cleaner energy sources.
Gottheimer also said he plans to work with regional grid operator PJM and other agencies to address issues in the regional power system that he said are contributing to higher electricity prices.
As part of the plan, Gottheimer highlighted several bipartisan bills he is sponsoring with Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., aimed at speeding up energy infrastructure development and strengthening grid reliability.
“For too long, critical energy projects in the United States have been delayed for years by bureaucratic red tape and bad-faith lawsuits that do nothing but stall progress. The Making Reviews Certain Act, the Grid Expansion and Reliability Act, the Commonsense Review Act, and the Build More Power Act are commonsense reforms that will help modernize our permitting process, strengthen our electric grid, and expand reliable domestic energy production,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17). “=These bills will cut unnecessary delays, encourage responsible infrastructure development, and help bring down energy costs for American families.”
Gottheimer said he also plans to convene utilities, regulators, energy producers and federal agencies to develop strategies to expand electricity production and ensure technology companies help pay the costs associated with powering new data centers.
