NJ Proposes "Virtual Power Plant" Plan to Save Ratepayers Millions Annually

For Immediate Release:	Contact: Alonza Robertson
Date: 07/27/2026	609-913-6237

The initiative aims to integrate smart devices into the state's energy grid

 

TRENTON, N.J. — July 27, 2026 —The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) will hold a public meeting Thursday, July 30, to explore how to best implement a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Program in New Jersey. The plan, released in detail earlier this month, would turn everyday devices – home batteries, smart thermostats, EV chargers – into a source of savings for the state’s power grid and for consumers’ electric bills. 

“Every New Jersey family deserves a grid that works smarter and costs less,” said NJBPU President Ben Hertz-Shargel. “Virtual power plants let us tap into technology that’s already sitting in driveways and living rooms across the state – batteries, thermostats, EV chargers – and turn them into grid assets that reduce utilities cost to serve customers. This kickoff meeting is where we build that vision, convening ratepayers, utilities, technology providers, and other stakeholders, whose collaboration will be central to its success,” he said.

The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday July 30 at The Conference Center at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor Township. It is open to anyone with a stake in how New Jersey powers itself: ratepayers whose bills and grid reliability are on the line, technology companies that build batteries and smart devices, environmental advocates, and the state’s utilities.  

It will include educational panels on the state of the New Jersey utility programs as well as best practices from other states that have already implemented VPP programs. The afternoon will include an overview of the Straw Proposal and an opportunity for stakeholder feedback. 

A Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is a "smart grid" approach that uses digital technology to link thousands of everyday devices – like thermostats, home batteries, and EV chargers – into one coordinated system, so that when demand spikes, a secure program can make small adjustments across many devices at once to take the place of a new power plant, with participants getting paid through bill credits, discounts, or direct payments.  

Because this would be New Jersey's first VPP program, the NJBPU wants to solicit broad public input before finalizing it: from homeowners to tech companies to environmental groups to the state's four electric utilities (PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric, and Rockland Electric). The July 30 meeting is one of several chances for the public to ask questions and weigh in. 

About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities