Skyrocketing Power Bills in NJ 💡💸 — And Murphy’s Billion-Dollar Wind Bill to Blame?
The $9,000 windmill: New Jersey families face rising energy bills while offshore wind projects fail to deliver.
Ever opened your latest power bill and nearly spat out your coffee? 😳 According to Patch NJ and Gothamist, New Jersey electric bills jumped more than 20 percent this summer, with JCP&L customers seeing a 20.2 percent increase alone. Same state with the highest property taxes in the country. Now your electricity is part of the nickel-and-dime parade.
So the question here is: how exactly is offshore wind helping with that again? 🌬️
The Promise of Wind vs. Reality 🌬️💸
Governor Phil Murphy has championed offshore wind as the answer to soaring utility bills, promising “affordable clean power.” Yet the numbers suggest otherwise. 🤔
A Save Long Beach Island analysis found the first three offshore wind projects could saddle ratepayers with $17.7 billion in extra costs, adding around 30 percent to residential electric bills. If Murphy’s full 11,000 MW offshore wind goal became reality, the total could hit $80 billion — about $9,000 per household over 20 years, according to Insider NJ.
Where Did All That Money Go? 🚢🌀
You would think billions in energy investments means working turbines. Instead, it has become a cautionary tale.
Ørsted, the Danish wind developer behind Ocean Wind 1 and 2 off Atlantic City, scrapped both projects in October 2023, blaming inflation, supply chain issues, and high interest rates. Ratepayers were already on the hook for sunk costs.
Atlantic Shores South lost Shell as a partner, and Shell reported a €934 million — about $980 million — write-down on the project.
Millions were spent on subsidies, grid planning, and permits. No turbines are turning. You still paid the bill. 💸
Murphy’s Role in All This 🏛️
Offshore wind is Governor Murphy’s legacy project.
In 2022, he signed Executive Order 307, setting a target of 11,000 MW of offshore wind by 2040.
Undeterred, he signed new mandates last year: 3,000 MW of community solar and 1,000–2,000 MW of battery storage by 2030.
According to testimony cited by Rep. Chris Smith, offshore wind subsidies and transmission costs could drive electricity rates up 55 percent for residents and 70 percent for businesses by 2047.
The Hidden Energy Tax on NJ Families 💵🔥
New Jerseyans already suffer through:
The highest property taxes in the nation
Rising gas taxes and tolls like clockwork each year
Now, your power bill comes with a surcharge for failed green experiments. Maybe it is time to rebrand the state’s motto to: Pay More. Get Less. 🙄
Meanwhile, Other States… ✈️🌴
While Murphy chases turbines, families are packing trucks. 🚚
States like Florida, the Carolinas, and Texas offer lighter taxes, more affordable power, and zero offshore wind fiascos. In many southern locales, your AC bill is still cheaper than a Bergen County property tax escrow.
No surprise: New Jersey ranks number one in outbound migration, according to United Van Lines and reporting from the New Jersey Monitor.
Conclusion: See the Exit Sign? 🚪🛫
Governor Murphy can keep turning windmill dreams into photo ops. But for everyday families it is starting to feel like hot air. Billions spent, projects canceled, bills climbing, and taxpayers stuck paying for it.
If you are done bankrolling policies that fail to deliver, maybe it is time to rethink your future here. Escape From New Jersey is not just a catchy blog name, it is a reality more and more people are living.
Sources
Patch NJ – NJ Residents Get Break as Electric Bills Soar: https://patch.com/new-jersey/across-nj/nj-residents-get-break-electric-bills-see-how-much-when
Gothamist – NJ Electric Bills Just Rose 20%: https://gothamist.com/news/nj-electric-bills-just-rose-20-prepare-for-another-spike-next-summer-experts-say
Insider NJ – Residential Electric Bills to Increase by 30%: https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/residential-electric-bills-to-increase-by-30-due-to-offshore-wind-projects
Ørsted – Ceases Development of Ocean Wind 1 and 2: https://us.orsted.com/news-archive/2023/10/orsted-ceases-development-of-ocean-wind-1-and-ocean-wind-2
Wikipedia – Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Shores_Offshore_Wind_South
NJ.gov – Executive Order 307 Offshore Wind Target: https://www.nj.gov/bpu/newsroom/2023/approved/20240124.html
Politico – Murphy Expands Clean Energy Goals After Wind Failures: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/03/murphy-new-jersey-ends-offshore-wind-00202077
House.gov – Offshore Wind Will Skyrocket NJ Rates: https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=413319
New Jersey Monitor – Rising Utility Costs Prompt Migration: https://newjerseymonitor.com/2025/06/27/n-j-legislators-unveil-new-bills-to-address-rising-costs-for-utility-consumers
