Mikie Sherrill declares state of emergency on New Jersey utility costs during inaugural speech
New Jersey Gov Mikie Sherrill promised during her campaign to declare a State of Emergency on utility costs
New Jersey governor declares state of emergency on utility costs during inaugural speech
Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed two executive orders on utility costs while delivering her inauguration speech.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who was sworn in on Tuesday, signed her first executive orders before she finished her inauguration speech.
"So, right now, yes, before I even finish this speech, I am going to sign my first in a series of executive orders to declare a State of Emergency on Utility Costs," Sherrill told the crowd.
The first executive order directs the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) to consider pausing or adjusting proceedings on proposed utility rate increases. It also calls for NJBPU to conduct a review of utility business models and requires the use of existing funds to offset electricity supply increases expected in 2026.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill shows her first executive order following being sworn in during her inauguration ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, N.J., on Jan. 20, 2026. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters / Reuters)
"The current cost of electricity has reached the point of crisis for many residents and families, and requires bold action to provide short-term relief and medium and long-term strategies and reforms to improve our energy system," the order reads.
The second order directs state agencies and regulators to fast-track new power generation, including solar, battery storage and nuclear, while cutting permitting and interconnection delays that slow projects and drive up prices.
A solar farm produces electricity near Bakersfield, Texas, on Saturday, April 10, 2021. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
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It warns that without the "swift addition of new generation or a slowdown in demand growth," the grid’s reliability could be threatened during peak periods, potentially forcing providers to restrict power use. The order says that practice, known as "load shedding," can include blackouts and brownouts and "could jeopardize public health, safety, and welfare."
The two orders follow Sherrill’s campaign promise to declare a state of emergency on utility costs. Together, the orders aim to provide short-term relief while laying out longer-term strategies to address rising energy costs that she has said are making life in New Jersey too expensive.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill is sworn in during her inauguration ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, N.J., on Jan. 20, 2026. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters / Reuters)
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"In the Navy, I learned that you have to lead, follow, or get out of the way — and I promised the people of New Jersey that I would be on a mission to deliver starting Day One. That’s why I’m beginning my term as governor by taking immediate action to deliver on some of the key issues impacting New Jerseyans," Sherrill said in a statement released by her office.
The orders on utility costs were part of a series of six orders that Sherrill signed upon entering office.
The third order established a code of ethics for the administration, the fourth establishes the Office of the Chief Operating Officer within the Office of the Governor, the fifth establishes a Cross-Agency Permitting Team within the newly created Office of the COO and the sixth order moves to protect children online, focusing on mental health.