For Immediate Release:	Contact: Tracy Munford
Date: 05/6/2025	609-940-1099

RFI seeks to bolster role of nuclear energy in advancing affordability and reliability needs

 

TRENTON — The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) today released a Request for Information (RFI) to explore the role and opportunity to develop new nuclear energy resources to advance the State’s affordability, resource adequacy, and clean energy goals.

 

“New Jersey is committed to addressing the regional cost crisis. As part of my Administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, we continue to explore ways to bring online new sources of electricity generation and improve and expand our nuclear fleet to grow the supply of resources as the U.S. faces increasing demand. At the same time, we’re pushing PJM Interconnection to bring new resources online faster and reduce prices,” said Governor Phil Murphy.

 

"New Jersey, and the region, need more electricity, and since day one of the Murphy Administration, our commitment to supporting our existing nuclear fleet has never waned,” said Christine Guhl-Sadovy, President, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. “As we work to push PJM to improve their interconnection queue to allow more resources like solar and storage to be built in the short-term, expanding our nuclear fleet offers the Garden State an opportunity to add new generation to our resource mix, improving reliability and affordability for ratepayers in the long-term.”

 

New Jersey and the larger PJM Interconnection L.L.C. region face increases in electricity demand as a result of load growth from AI data centers, new manufacturing facilities, and other energy intensive industries. According to the PJM 2025 Long-Term Load Forecast, electricity demand within the region is expected to significantly increase, with a projected growth of nearly 40% in the next 14 years.  Additionally, in March of 2025, the NJBPU and Governor’s Office presented modeling completed in support of the 2024 Energy Master Plan (“EMP”), which indicated a growing need for clean firm capacity to maintain system reliability post-2035.

 

To ensure resource adequacy can be met in the region while also driving down electricity capacity prices for ratepayers, new sources of electricity generation must come online to grow the supply of resources into the electricity grid. Nuclear technologies, including advanced nuclear technologies, are potential opportunities that can help meet the growing need for new sources of generation.

 

New Jersey has three active thermal nuclear power reactors, Salem 1 and 2 and Hope Creek. The three reactors generate 40% of the state’s electricity and 85% of its emission-free generation. These three nuclear generation units, like most of the United States’ nuclear fleet, are known as third generation (GEN III) nuclear reactors.

 

Technological and safety innovations have created the potential for new nuclear technologies to be developed with improved performance and safety features. New nuclear development may involve Gen III+ Light Water Reactors (LWRs) and advanced reactors, which include non-LWR reactor designs and small modular reactors (SMR) that may or may not have an LWR design.

 

Clean energy growth in New Jersey and throughout PJM has saved New Jersey ratepayers billions in avoided costs. Without the PJM-wide (onshore) wind and solar resources that bid into PJM's 2024 capacity auction, clearing prices would have been about 60% higher, which would have cost New Jersey ratepayers roughly an additional $1.1 billion in the coming year.

 

For over 50 years, New Jersey has harnessed nuclear energy to produce reliable, emission-free electricity, and create thousands of jobs and nuclear generation remains a core component to meet New Jersey’s emission reduction goals under the Global Warming Response Act and 100% clean electricity goal by 2035.

 

The deadline to submit responses to the RFI is 5:00 p.m. on June 23, 2025. All public comments should be filed under Docket No. QO25040202, linked here.

 

The RFI can be found here.

 

 

About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)

NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at www.nj.gov/bpu.  

 

About New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP)

NJCEP, established on January 22, 2003, in accordance with the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA), provides financial and other incentives to the State's residential customers, businesses and schools that install high-efficiency or renewable energy technologies, thereby reducing energy usage, lowering customers' energy bills and reducing environmental impacts. The program is authorized and overseen by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and its website is www.NJCleanEnergy.com.