Gov. Murphy, State Leaders Join Bipartisan Push for PJM Reform Amid Energy Affordability Crisis
New Jersey leaders are demanding energy reforms that could lower bills and boost reliability in Atlantic City. Gov. Murphy and state lawmakers say PJM must be more transparent and accountable to residents as power costs rise. Changes may be coming.
ATLANTIC CITY — As regional electricity prices rise and concerns about grid reliability mount, New Jersey leaders are uniting with a bipartisan coalition of governors across the PJM Interconnection region to demand sweeping reforms at the country’s largest power grid operator.
Governor Phil Murphy, along with the governors of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Delaware, Kentucky, and Tennessee, signed a joint letter to PJM’s Board of Managers calling for increased transparency, new leadership, and formal state involvement in board nominations.
“Every decision that is made in Valley Forge drastically impacts us at home,” said Murphy. “We must ensure that families and business owners have a clean and reliable power grid and don’t have to choose between feeding their families and keeping the lights on.”
PJM Interconnection manages the wholesale electricity market for more than 65 million people across 13 states and Washington, D.C., including all of New Jersey.
The governors’ letter calls for two vacant board seats to be filled with a bipartisan slate of individuals proposed by the states themselves—part of a broader push for structural reform.
New Jersey’s legislative leadership echoed those calls.
“We are deeply discouraged by the continued lack of transparency and accountability at PJM Interconnection,” said Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin in a joint statement. “We fully support the letter sent by Governor Murphy and the bipartisan coalition of governors… We want representation from the states to ensure that the needs of ratepayers are a priority in the decision-making process.”
Scutari and Coughlin emphasized that New Jersey has already taken steps to rein in PJM’s influence, advancing legislation to grow in-state energy production and deliver rate relief.
The collective action follows the recent ousting of two PJM board members and the pending departure of its CEO—events that have drawn national attention to concerns over governance, affordability, and energy security.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said PJM must do more to meet states' energy needs, while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker accused the operator of “undermining” state-level efforts to promote clean and affordable energy. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also voiced support for state-led input and consumer-focused reforms.
The governors are expected to meet with PJM leadership during its July 23, 2025, Members Committee meeting in Philadelphia to propose nominees and discuss a path forward.
“This is about more than policy,” said Delaware Governor Matt Meyer. “It’s about delivering reliable service our communities deserve.”
Murphy and other leaders emphasized that future board appointments must reflect public interest, affordability, and state oversight. As PJM’s decisions shape everything from energy prices to infrastructure investment, the call for reform has grown louder—and more unified.
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