Schepisi Pans BPU’s Expensive & Misguided Building Electrification Plan

Senator Holly Schepisi panned a plan approved by the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) today to begin the electrification of homes and businesses, saying it will lead to overreaching mandates and costly bans of affordable natural gas stoves and appliances.

“Despite significant pushback, the BPU is forging ahead with the Murphy administration’s radical plan to phase out the natural gas used in millions of New Jersey homes and businesses,” said Schepisi (R-39). “The BPU’s approval today is the first step of Governor Murphy’s electrification effort that will result in gas stoves and appliances being banned, mirroring the recent mandate banning future sales of gas cars. New Jerseyans cannot afford the $1.4 trillion price tag of an extreme energy plan that will leave them with fewer options and significantly higher electric bills.”

The BPU adopted the “building decarbonization” plan today during a special meeting.

It’s one of several simultaneous tracks being advanced by the Murphy administration to further the implementation on his extreme Energy Master Plan.

The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) is also considering changing building codes to prohibit new natural gas hookups and to require replacement appliances in existing buildings to be fully electric.

“Governor Murphy doesn’t care how many tens of thousands of dollars it will cost New Jersey families to convert their gas stoves, water heaters, and furnaces to fully electric appliances or that New Jersey does not have the infrastructure to support such rapid and radical changes,” Schepisi added. “He’s using agencies like the DCA and BPU to bypass the Legislature to mandate his extreme energy agenda into existence.”