N.J. utility bills remain high despite rate hike freeze, residents say

Despite Gov. Mikie Sherrill's executive order freezing utility rate hikes, some New Jersey residents say their monthly electric bills remain significantly higher than a year ago.

Residents in Mountainside said they have not seen meaningful relief on their utility bills, even as the state rolls out measures aimed at lowering energy costs.

"I don't know what the rate exactly is, but I know my bill was higher," one man said.

Another resident, Rene Alexander, said a recent bill was double what her household paid during the same period last year.

"We just got our latest one, and year over year, it was 100% higher, and there is no difference in what we're doing," Alexander said.

In Newark, a resident said he has noticed the state's utility bill credits.

"When the bill is coming out, your credit is there, so the credit of $25 is out of it," resident Tony Ajbade said.

Not all customers reported increases. Katherine Leonard, of Morris County, said her utility costs have declined.

"My utility rates have gone down a bit, yes, they have, oddly," Leonard said.

Sherrill said her administration has taken several steps to reduce energy costs, including requiring data centers to pay a larger share of electricity demand costs and providing $25 bill credits to approximately 3.6 million ratepayers.

The governor also said she has been working with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to lower costs. During a September board meeting, a member said consumers could see no net increase in electricity rates and a slight decrease in gas rates.

Sherrill has also pointed to long-term energy investments, including lifting a decades-old moratorium on nuclear power and approving 18 new solar and battery storage projects.