On June 30, 2026, the New Jersey Assembly and Senate both approved the “Power NJ Act” (A4881), sending the legislation to Governor Sherrill for signature after unanimous, bipartisan approval.
The Power NJ Act would direct the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, in partnership with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, to establish a program for procuring advanced nuclear energy facilities and to create a framework for reviewing and approving projects designed to meet growing electricity demand and enhance grid reliability. With unanimous support in both chambers, the bill positions nuclear energy as a central component of New Jersey’s long-term strategy to control utility costs and expand clean power generation.
Overview
The “Powering Opportunity, Workforce, and Energy Reliability for New Jersey Act,” known as the Power NJ Act, cleared both houses of the Legislature with strong bipartisan support. The Assembly passed A4881 on June 30, 2026, by a vote of 74-0-3, and the Senate approved the measure the same day by a 40-0 vote after substituting its companion bill, S4296, with the Assembly version. The Assembly bill was sponsored by Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo and Assemblyman Dave Bailey Jr., while the Senate companion was sponsored by Senator John Burzichelli, Senator Bob Smith, and Senate President Nick Scutari. The bill now goes to Governor Sherrill, who is expected to sign it into law promptly as part of her administration’s energy agenda and its commitment to expanding nuclear power in New Jersey.
Procurement of Advanced Nuclear Energy Facilities
The Power NJ Act would require the Board of Public Utilities, in collaboration with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, to establish a program for procuring advanced nuclear energy facilities in the State. The legislation is intended to strengthen energy reliability, support workforce opportunities, and help meet New Jersey’s future energy needs while avoiding new fossil fuel generation. Sponsors emphasized that expanding supply through advanced nuclear power is aimed at countering rising utility costs while providing clean, reliable, greenhouse gas-free generation.
Project Review and Approval Framework
Under the bill, entities would submit proposals for advanced nuclear projects through a process overseen by the Board of Public Utilities. Projects would be evaluated based on their ability to improve reliability and resilience, meet capacity needs, and provide value to ratepayers. The legislation also lays the groundwork for a Reliability Capacity Certificate program designed to support approved projects while allowing certain revenues generated by those facilities to be returned to New Jersey consumers.
Implications
If signed, the Power NJ Act would establish New Jersey’s first dedicated statutory pathway for advanced nuclear energy development. Developers, utilities, industrial energy users, and investors should anticipate a new procurement and approval process administered jointly by the BPU and NJEDA, along with opportunities tied to the forthcoming Reliability Capacity Certificate program. Businesses positioned to participate in nuclear development, siting, or supply chains should begin evaluating how the program may affect project planning and capital investment.
Path Forward
The near-unanimous passage of the Power NJ Act signals broad legislative consensus on the role of advanced nuclear energy in addressing New Jersey’s electricity demand, grid reliability, and clean energy goals. Once the Governor signs the bill, attention will shift to the rulemaking and program design carried out by the Board of Public Utilities and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Parties interested in advanced nuclear opportunities should monitor implementation closely and prepare to engage as the procurement framework takes shape.
How We Can Help
The firm’s Environmental Law Group is closely tracking the Power NJ Act and the anticipated procurement and approval framework for advanced nuclear energy in New Jersey. If you have questions about how this legislation may affect a current or contemplated project, or want to position your business to participate as the program develops, please contact Daniel T. McKillop or your Scarinci Hollenbeck attorney.
Owe Between $3.4 and $7.5 Million? Why the New Subchapter V Debt Limit Matters Before You Ever Think About Filing
Congress is poised to significantly expand access to Subchapter V, the streamlined Chapter 11 process designed for small business debtors. If signed into law, the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment Act will permanently raise the Subchapter V debt limit to $7.5 million, more than doubling the current $3,424,000 cap and potentially making the streamlined process available to […]
New Jersey Hemp Deadline: What the New Senate Bill Means for Businesses
S-4635 would extend the State’s compliance timeline for intoxicating hemp products by one month, keeping New Jersey in step with federal hemp deadlines. On October 1, 2026, Senator Nicholas Scutari introduced Senate Bill 4635 (S-4635), a targeted but important amendment to New Jersey’s hemp regulatory framework that would move the New Jersey hemp deadline for […]
New Jersey Nuclear Task Force Convenes as State Accelerates Its Nuclear Energy Strategy
State launches a public information portal and opens a pathway for advanced reactors. New Jersey has taken another significant step toward expanding nuclear generation as Governor Mikie Sherrill convened the first meeting of the State’s Nuclear Task Force on October 1, 2026, and launched the new “Nuclear NJ” public information website. Together, these initiatives signal […]
New Jersey Rent Control Exemption: Failure to File No Longer Fatal?
Failing to file a rent control exemption notice with the municipal construction official did not, on its own, cost a New Jersey apartment building its exemption from local rent control. That is the central holding of a September 28, 2026 opinion from U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in the closely watched Portside Towers litigation […]
Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026: Federal Permitting Reform Bill Introduced in the Senate
What project developers, energy companies, manufacturers, and data center operators need to know. The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, introduced in the U.S. Senate on September 30, 2026, is a federal permitting reform bill that would make sweeping changes to the federal environmental review and permitting framework governing energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, […]
New Jersey Pushes Food-Contact Packaging Deadline to 2030
NJDEP’s extension of a key Recycled Content Law exemption provides short-term compliance relief while creating uncertainty across recycling markets. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) has extended a key exemption under New Jersey’s Recycled Content Law, delaying mandatory post-consumer recycled content (“PCR”) requirements for food-contact plastic packaging and containers until January 1, 2030. […]
No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Sign up to get the latest from our attorneys!
Explore What Matters Most to You.
Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.
Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.
Let`s get in touch!
Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!
