ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 6154

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 11, 2025

      The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 6154.

      As amended and reported, this bill establishes, in the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), a program to incentivize the development of advanced nuclear reactors in the State.

     Under the advanced nuclear program established by the bill, the BPU is required to issue a request for expressions of interest and information for the construction of at least one advanced nuclear reactor to generate at least 1,100 megawatts of electric power in the State.  The bill establishes certain conditions that are required to be met in order for the BPU to approve an advanced nuclear reactor project, including that the project will significantly contribute to meeting the State’s energy reliability, resilience, and capacity needs at a reasonable cost to ratepayers.  If approved, a qualified advanced nuclear reactor project is to be authorized to receive financial support through an advanced nuclear development charge (ANDC) and advanced nuclear energy certificates (ANECs).  Under the ANDC, a qualified advanced nuclear reactor project is to be eligible to receive funding for a negotiated percentage of construction costs through a non-bypassable charge, which is to be imposed on all electric public utility customers and deposited into a fund to be known as the Advanced Nuclear Development Fund.  Under the ANEC program, a certain percentage of the electric power sold in the State is required to be from advanced nuclear reactors, and electric public utilities are to satisfy this requirement by purchasing a certain number of ANECs each year.

     Finally, the bill amends the “Coastal Area Facility Review Act” (CAFRA), P.L.1973, c.185 (C.13:19-1 et seq.), to remove the requirement for the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to determine that a nuclear energy generation facility’s method for the disposal of radioactive waste material is safe, conforms to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission standards, and removes danger to life and the environment, prior to being issued a CAFRA permit.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to: 

      (1)  add a findings and declarations section;

      (2)  clarify that the Board of Public Utilities is required to use the expression of interest and information in determining whether to grant provisional status to a proposed project.  As introduced, the bill provided that the expressions of interest and information were to be used by the board to grant provisional qualification for at least one project;

      (3)  require the expression of interest and information submitted by an entity seeking to construct an advanced nuclear reactor and qualify as a qualified project to include information on any security deposit or collateral proposed by the entity for the project, including the proposed size of the security deposit or collateral and any changes to the size of the security deposit or collateral, based on milestones throughout the development and construction of the project;

      (4)  allow the Board of Public Utilities to take into account whether a proposed project may be incorporated into any available federal or multi-state partnerships when considering whether to grant provisional qualification status to a proposed project; and

      (5)  make technical changes.

MINORITY STATEMENT

By Assemblymen Sauickie, Barranco, and Kanitra

      The Minority respectfully submits the following statement regarding the bill under consideration today.

      New Jersey stands at a pivotal moment regarding its energy future.  Before the State commits to the construction of a new nuclear facility and significant battery storage, or to advance any major generation initiative, it must first undertake a comprehensive and realistic reassessment of its entire energy system.

      Over the past eight years, policies that prematurely closed reliable in-State generation while simultaneously accelerating electrification mandates have shifted New Jersey from an energy exporter to an energy importer.  Coupled with grid operator PJM’s permitting and planning failures and the rapid growth in electricity demand—particularly from data centers and emerging artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure encouraged by the Governor in his 2024 State of the State address—ratepayers now face unprecedented increases in energy costs.  Without a fundamental course correction, these costs will continue to rise.

      Accordingly, the Minority believes the State must adopt a responsible, data-driven approach to long-term planning.  While we absolutely believe nuclear power will play a significant and necessary role in New Jersey’s future energy portfolio, the State cannot predetermine winners and losers without first producing a new, transparent, and analytically sound Energy Master Plan (EMP).  The overdue 2024 EMP, only released by the Governor in late November 2025, repeats the same ideological policies of the past eight years, which put the State in this position.

      This new plan must be grounded in three core principles: affordability, reliability, and achievable decarbonization that does not rely on unrealistic mandates or timelines.  The public deserves full disclosure of projected demand, existing capacity, generation deficits, costs, and the rate impacts of any proposed policy pathway.

      To that end, the Minority believes six policies should form the foundation of any responsible statewide energy strategy:

      1.   Development of a Realistic Energy Master Plan

      A new plan must evaluate all available technologies—including nuclear, natural gas, renewables, geothermal, and demand-reduction strategies—and provide a transparent assessment of costs, capacity needs, and ratepayer impacts.

      2.   Accurate Demand Measurement, Particularly for Large-Capacity Users

      Legislation should ensure that projected high-demand projects, such as data centers, are practical and that such users can demonstrate access to adequate generation without compromising grid reliability.

      3.   Upgrading the Transmission and Distribution Grids

      The State must prioritize modernization of the grid, and allocate a significant portion of the Clean Energy Fund to transmission and distribution upgrades that enhance reliability and reduce long-term costs.

      4.   Meaningful Permitting Reform

      Approval processes for new energy generation must be expedited at the State, local, and PJM levels.  The creation of a centralized “Electric and Energy Generation Permitting Group” would help standardize and accelerate reviews.  Additionally, the Legislature should consider designating energy-generation projects as “beneficial uses” under the Municipal Land Use Law and reexamining environmental justice rules that may unnecessarily impede essential projects.

      5.   Policies Aimed at Lowering Energy Costs

      The State must address cost drivers, including withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which has contributed to higher ratepayer costs and emissions leakage.  The State should also consider repealing excessive utility taxes, including the sales tax on electricity and natural gas, and support PJM capacity price caps to prevent further cost escalation.

      6.   Encouragement of Natural Gas as Firm Baseload Generation

      Natural gas remains the most immediate and practical means of increasing in-State firm capacity.  State policies and Department of Environmental Protection regulations that effectively prohibit upgrades or new construction of natural gas electric generation units should be revised, delayed, or replaced with incentives that preserve reliability while continuing to pursue reasonable emissions reductions.

      In conclusion, the Minority believes the State should not proceed with long-term generation commitments until it adopts a transparent and realistic Energy Master Plan that places affordability and reliability at the forefront.  New Jersey families and businesses cannot continue to shoulder the burden of rising electric rates driven by policy decisions disconnected from grid realities.  It is essential that the State realign its energy strategy with practical, science-based, and economically sound principles that encourage the building of new reliable energy sources, and to ensure a stable and affordable energy future.