Bill
Bill > S4938
NJ S4938
NJ S4938"Load Forecast Accountability Act"; requires BPU to review electricity load forecasting in State.
summary
Introduced
12/04/2025
12/04/2025
In Committee
12/04/2025
12/04/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
Introduced Session
2024-2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill requires the Board of Public Utilities (board) to collect load-forecasting information from electric public utilities. The bill further requires the board to analyze the potential impact of the load-forecasting information on load-forecasting for the State. Additionally, the bill requires the board to coordinate with: (1) PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM) to ensure load-forecasting information is incorporated into PJM's regional planning in a fair, accurate, and non-duplicative manner; and (2) PJM and other regulatory authorities to ensure that new large loads and customer contracts are accounted for in a non-duplicative manner. The bill also requires the board to provide annual reports to the Governor and to the Legislature that include a summary of the load-forecasting information collected, the board's analysis of the load-forecasting information, and the board's efforts to coordinate with PJM and other regulatory authorities. As used in this bill, "load-forecasting information" means any information used to estimate future peak demand within an electric public utility's service territory that is provided by that electric public utility to PJM and utilized by PJM in establishing the reliability requirement in PJM's capacity market. Under the bill, "load-forecasting information" does not include short-term or day-ahead forecasts.
AI Summary
This bill requires the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to collect, review, and analyze load-forecasting information from electric utilities to improve electric grid planning and reliability. Specifically, the bill mandates that electric utilities provide the BPU with information about estimated future peak electricity demand that is submitted to PJM Interconnection (a regional transmission organization), excluding short-term daily forecasts. The legislation was prompted by PJM's prediction of 32 GW of new grid load by 2030, with approximately 30 GW attributed to data centers, and concerns about the lack of transparency in load forecasting. The BPU must coordinate with PJM and other regulatory authorities to ensure load forecasting is fair, accurate, and avoids duplicative counting of new large loads and customer contracts. Starting in 2026, the BPU will be required to submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature detailing the load-forecasting information, its analysis, and coordination efforts. The bill is designed to help protect consumers from unnecessary costs associated with over or under-building system resources and will automatically expire in 2035 after the final required report is submitted.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (on 12/04/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S4938 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S5000/4938_I1.HTM |
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