New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) had a meeting on May 21, 2025, where they gave the thumbs up to some changes in grid modernization rules. The goal? Speed up the process for projects to get online quicker by reducing delays in the distribution grid interconnection process.
President of NJBPU, Christine Guhl-Sadovy, seemed pretty pleased with the Board’s decision. She mentioned how vital it is to modernize the grid and make the interconnection process more efficient. The plan is to increase the number of distributed energy resources, like new solar projects, as fast as they can. This is all part of an effort to lower energy costs for ratepayers. Sounds like a win-win situation, right?
The new process for distribution grid interconnection applications includes a few key things: more frequent updates to hosting capacity maps, a dispute resolution process, a pre-application and verification process to give applicants an early heads-up on project feasibility and costs, and a requirement for utilities to set up a web portal for a more consistent interconnection application process across different service territories. These changes will make it easier for more distributed energy resources (DERs) to connect to New Jersey’s distribution grid, especially solar and storage projects.
