Protect New Jersey ratepayers, advance clean energy goals, and make sure large AI data centers contribute their fair share.

Here in New Jersey, residents are already feeling the financial impacts of rising electricity demand. Electricity prices in our state are approximately 20 percent higher than the national average, and in June 2025 many residents saw their electric bills increase by at least $20, due in large part to growing electricity demand from data centers and large load customers.

AI data centers are among the most energy-intensive facilities being developed today, and their rapid expansion is creating serious challenges to our electric grid, and costing New Jersey ratepayers and our environment. A single large-scale data center can consume as much electricity as 80,000 households. Nationally. AI data centers could add the equivalent of three New York Cities' worth of electricity demand to the grid by 2026, and they are projected to more than double their share of U.S. electricity consumption to nearly 9 percent by the end of the decade.

This explosive growth of energy-intensive AI data centers risks placing even greater strain on the electric grid and driving up costs for everyday New Jersey families. That is why S680 and A796/S731 are important, commonsense measures to protect consumers. These bills strengthen grid reliability, protect our environment, and ensure large energy users are held accountable for the costs they create.

S680 would require proposed AI data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities to submit energy usage plans and ensure the electricity powering these facilities comes from new clean energy sources. This approach protects New Jersey's air, water, and health, and promotes our climate goals,  while helping ensure New Jersey households and small businesses continue to have access to needed energy resources.

A796/S731 complements these protections by requiring electric public utilities to establish special tariffs and financial protections for large-load customers such as data centers. It would assign infrastructure and utility costs directly to the companies creating the demand, and require financial long-term guarantees and efficiencies to protect New Jersey ratepayers. 

Together, A796/S731 and S680 strike a balanced approach by ensuring that the costs of powering extremely energy-intensive facilities are not shifted onto New Jersey ratepayers. Companies seeking to profit from artificial intelligence should be responsible for bringing their own clean energy resources to power their operations rather than placing additional financial burdens on working families - ensuring that large corporations pay their fair share instead of subsidizing profits at residents' expense. This approach supports innovation while protecting New Jersey's energy system, advancing clean energy goals, and safeguarding communities.

As New Jersey continues leading the transition to a clean energy economy, we must ensure that emerging industries grow in a way that is sustainable, responsible, and fair to residents.

Take action today and urge lawmakers to vote YES on S680 and A796/S731.