New Jersey — State Recap
September 16, 2025
New Jersey remains a strong stack state when you combine: utility make‑ready (PSE&G, JCP&L, ACE, RECO) + statewide grants (NJBPU/NJCEP programs like MUD, EV Tourism, Clean Fleet) + NJDEP’s It Pay$ to Plug In (IPP) + federal §30C. Prioritize sites that can move quickly (host approval, load letter, permit path), then file in the right order to maximize awards.
Highlights
- NJDEP “It Pay$ to Plug In” (IPP) — Rolling L1/L2 awards; DCFC funded in competitive windows. Use IPP to close gaps after utility make‑ready.
- Charge Up New Jersey — MUD EV Charging Program & EV Tourism Corridor Charging — Active FY26 framework; extra bonuses in Overburdened Municipalities.
- Clean Fleet EV & Charging — For public and nonprofit fleets; periodic re-openings for L2/DCFC + fleet EV’s.
- Utility Make‑Ready — PSE&G, JCP&L (EV Driven), ACE (EVsmart), and RECO (Charger Ready + DCFC Per‑Plug tariff incentive) reduce site CapEx/OpEx materially.
Statewide Programs (NJBPU / NJCEP / NJDEP)
It Pay$ to Plug In (NJDEP) — L1/L2 rolling; DCFC windowed
What it funds: L1/L2 (rolling) for public/private hosts; DCFC in periodic competitive rounds.
Strategy: Pair with utility make‑ready first; submit quotes, site plan, and network eligibility. For DCFC, pre‑stage permit and utility design to be truly ready when a round opens.
MUD EV Charging Program (NJBPU/NJCEP)
Who: Apartment/condo/MUD owners and operators.
Amounts (typical): Up to $4,000 per dual‑port networked L2; up to $6,000 in Overburdened Municipalities (caps apply). Some cycles include make‑ready cost‑share (e.g., up to 50%) with limits per site.
Fit: Garages, surface lots, and deed‑restricted affordable housing; can stack with utility make‑ready.
EV Tourism Corridor Charging (NJBPU/NJCEP)
Who: Businesses, attractions, hotels, governments, nonprofits along designated corridors.
Amounts (FY26 T&Cs): Up to $50,000 per DCFC; hotels up to ~$5,000 per L2; +50% bonus for Overburdened Municipalities. Good for destination DCFC and hospitality L2 where corridor wayfinding and dwell time matter.
Clean Fleet EV & EV Charging (NJBPU/NJCEP)
Who: Local/state government and nonprofits (fleet use).
What: Incentives toward fleet EVs, Level 2, and DCFC for depot/public‑facing fleet charging. Tip: Pre‑package procurement and council resolutions so you can apply day‑one when a round reopens.
Utility Programs — Make‑Ready & Demand Cost Tools
PSE&G — Electric Vehicle Charging Program
Segments: Residential, mixed‑use/commercial, and public DCFC. What you get: Make‑ready incentives that can cover a large share of infrastructure; process begins with scoping and service design.
Action: Request pre‑application review; align transformer/meter plan with grant timing.
JCP&L (FirstEnergy) — EV Driven
Commercial & MUD: Up to ~$11,100 in Utility Make‑Ready Work on a qualified two‑port system + up to ~$6,700 per port in Customer Make‑Ready Work (port caps/limits apply; check current matrix).
Action: Confirm port counts and caps up front; stage invoices and ‘as‑built’ for verification.
Atlantic City Electric (ACE) — EVsmart
Segments: Residential, MUD, commercial, workplace, public, and fleet in ACE territory.
What you get: Make‑ready rebates with LMI enhancements for MUD; program manual details eligible costs, documentation, and commissioning.
Action: Use the current EVsmart Program Manual to avoid disallowed costs and missed forms.
Rockland Electric (RECO/O&R) — Commercial Charger Ready + DCFC Per‑Plug Incentive
What you get: Up to ~90% of make‑ready costs for commercial/MUD/fleet sites; DCFC Per‑Plug Incentive reduces demand/capacity charges for eligible connectors.
Action: Model the Per‑Plug tariff impact in your TCO; align contract demand and uptime assumptions.
Permitting & Readiness — Speed to Award
- Obtain a utility load letter/service ruling and one‑line early; confirm transformer upgrade lead times.
• For DCFC: pre‑pull zoning/permits where allowed or prepare a plan set that is permit‑issuable.
• Hotels/attractions: confirm corridor eligibility for EV Tourism and signage/wayfinding.
• MUD: prepare host letters, parking allocation diagrams, and resident communications in advance.
How to Stack NJ (fastest to slowest)
1) Confirm the serving utility and file the utility Make‑Ready pre‑application (PSE&G / JCP&L / ACE / RECO).
2) If the site qualifies as corridor/hospitality, add EV Tourism Corridor (aim for DCFC + hotel L2 where relevant).
3) For apartments/condos, file the MUD EV Charging application; use Overburdened Municipality bonus if eligible.
4) Add It Pay$ to Plug In to close remaining L1/L2/DCFC gaps (align with DCFC window timing).
5) Layer §30C (30%) where tract + prevailing wage rules are met; sync documentation with tax advisor.
6) Use utility demand‑management options (e.g., RECO Per‑Plug) to stabilize OpEx in pro formas.
Deadline Radar (calendar these)
- EV Tourism Corridor (FY26 T&Cs): Active framework; confirm current enrollment window on NJCEP before committing bids.
• Clean Fleet EV & Charging: Periodic re-openings — monitor NJCEP; pre‑stage resolutions/procurement.
• IPP (It Pay$ to Plug In): L1/L2 rolling; DCFC competitive windows — track NJDEP page for opening/closing notices.
• Utility Make‑Ready: Rolling by territory; some sub‑segments have annual budget caps — file early in the fiscal year.
Member Action Checklist (do these now)
- Run utility territory check for every lead; choose the right Make‑Ready program on day one.
- Get host LOI, site plan, and preliminary one‑line; request utility pre‑app call for capacity confirmation.
- If corridor/hotel: map to EV Tourism eligibility; stage photos/wayfinding and tourism justification.
- If MUD: confirm Overburdened Municipality status; price dual‑port networked L2 and plan for make‑ready cost‑share caps.
- For DCFC: prepare trench/conduit specs, switchgear schedule, and easements; be ready for IPP DCFC rounds.
- Stand up §30C documentation (tract, PWA, cost basis) in parallel so tax benefit isn’t delayed.
- For RECO hosts: model DCFC Per‑Plug tariff savings vs. baseline TOU in your TCO sheet.