The short answer
To switch electricity in New Jersey, visit nj.gov/bpu, identify your utility (PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City, Rockland), and compare against the BGS (Basic Generation Service) rate. 7-day cooling-off period (longer than most states). Both electric and gas are deregulated; many suppliers offer bundled discounts.
NJ deregulated electricity in 1999 under the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA). Four investor-owned utilities serve the state: PSE&G (Newark, central NJ), JCP&L (Morristown + Toms River), Atlantic City Electric (south Jersey + Shore), and Rockland Electric. Both electricity and natural gas are deregulated in NJ.
New Jersey utility territories
PSE&G: Newark, central NJ. About 2.3 million electric + 1.9 million gas customers. Largest NJ utility.
JCP&L: Morristown, Toms River, parts of central NJ. About 1.1 million customers. Owned by FirstEnergy.
Atlantic City Electric: south Jersey + Jersey Shore. About 547,000 customers. Owned by Exelon. Rockland Electric: north Jersey. About 70,000 customers.
How to switch in New Jersey
Step 1: visit nj.gov/bpu/commercial/aboutees.html or use a third-party portal. Step 2: review offers against your BGS rate.
Step 3: enroll, EDI 814, switch at next meter read. Step 4: 7-day cooling-off period per NJ BPU rules — slightly longer than most states.
New Jersey also deregulates natural gas
PSE&G, NJ Natural Gas, South Jersey Gas, and Elizabethtown Gas all serve New Jersey residential gas customers, and competitive supplier choice is available for all of them. The same regulatory framework (BPU oversight, 7-day cooling-off period) that applies to electricity supplier shopping applies to gas as well.
The switching mechanic is the same as electricity: licensed gas supplier files an EDI 814 enrollment with your local utility, the switch takes effect at the next meter read (30 to 45 days), and your local utility continues to deliver gas through the same pipes regardless of supplier choice. The switching-natural-gas-supplier-step-by-step guide walks the workflow.
Many New Jersey households shop both commodities at once. Some suppliers offer bundled discounts of 0.5 to 1.5 cents per kWh on electricity plus 5 to 15 cents per therm on gas. Always compare the bundled rate against the best single-fuel offer for each — bundle discounts only matter if both rates are competitive on their own.
New Jersey is a PJM state — capacity matters here too
New Jersey sits inside the PJM regional grid, which means New Jersey customers are exposed to PJM capacity-auction outcomes that flow through to delivery and supply charges. The 2026 PJM capacity auction cleared at decade-high prices, and that increase is flowing to New Jersey residential bills with a 6 to 18-month lag.
BGS (Basic Generation Service, the New Jersey utility default rate) auctions every February for the upcoming June-through-May delivery year. The 2026 BGS auction cleared materially higher than 2025 because of PJM capacity dynamics. Customers on a fixed-rate competitive supplier contract are insulated from the BGS reset for the term of their contract.
For New Jersey households watching bills rise, locking a 12 to 24-month fixed supply contract is the cleanest defense. The capacity-charge-line-item-explained and capacity-market-pjm-ercot-explained guides cover the underlying mechanics.
New Jersey incentive stack and SuREC program
New Jersey has historically been one of the most active solar states in the country thanks to the SREC and now SuREC (Successor program) production incentives. Residential solar owners earn certificates worth $90 to $160 per megawatt-hour for 15 years on top of net-metering credits. The solar-incentives-by-state-2026 guide breaks down the program and the calculation.
New Jersey Clean Energy Program (njcleanenergy.com) runs heat pump rebates, smart thermostat rebates, induction stove rebates, and EV charger rebates funded through the Societal Benefits Charge on every electric bill. Many programs stack with federal IRA rebates for income-qualified households.
For renters and condo owners who cannot install rooftop solar, New Jersey offers community solar subscription programs through licensed providers. Subscriptions typically deliver 10 to 20 percent savings off utility electricity rates without requiring any equipment installation. The community-solar-vs-rooftop-solar guide compares the options.
Infographic
NJ SuREC + federal credit + EmPOWER rebates — combined incentive stack
Recap
Bottom line
New Jersey deregulated retail electricity and natural gas in 1999 under EDECA and operates one of the more consumer-friendly competitive markets in the country. The 7-day cooling-off period (longer than most states), strict BPU oversight, and active state consumer-advocate office all add protective layers. PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric, and Rockland Electric all compete for delivery; dozens of licensed competitive suppliers compete for supply.
For most New Jersey households the cleanest plan is locking a 12 to 24-month fixed supply contract ahead of the next BGS reset (which happens annually in February for June activation), bundling electricity and gas with the same supplier if both rates are competitive, and layering in NJ Clean Energy Program rebates for any heat pump or smart thermostat upgrades. The how-to-switch-energy-supplier guide walks the universal mechanic; the cooling-off-period-energy-supplier-rights guide covers the 7-day cancellation window.
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