By: Madison Rosenberg, Follow South Jersey Community Journalist
SOUTH JERSEY – An historic winter storm overtook the East Coast on Sunday, January 25, covering South Jersey in thick layers of snow and ice. As residents blast the heat and drip their faucets, the new executive orders issued by Governor Mikie Sherrill, released on January 20, could save South Jersey residents’ wallets.
Executive orders one and two address the cost of living and the steadily increasing utility costs, exacerbated by New Jersey’s regional grid operator, PJM Interconnection. PJM, which was sued in 2024 by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to prevent steep price hikes, has a history of causing frustrations over rising prices. The executive orders also commit to making way for more power generation through renewable energy sources, as well as reform permitting policies so development projects can be completed in a timely manner, preventing more unnecessary price increases.
Sherrill’s commitment to lowering the cost of living and promoting sustainable energy has been made very public by Sherrill and her team. But does it reach voters? Thomas “TJ” Natalie, a Primo Hoagies employee in Glassboro, NJ, said he had no idea what the order was and hadn’t even heard of it.
“I mean, it seems good, and it could help people out,” Natalie said. “I still live with my parents, but I know that everything is so expensive for them now. My mom showed me the electric bill for this month, and it was ridiculous. So if [Sherrill] will stop it from getting worse, it seems like a good thing.”
Joseph Downey, another resident of Glassboro and formerly from Northfield, NJ, said Sherrill’s ideas could change some voters’ minds.
“Where I’m originally from, it’s all republicans,” Downey said. “Total Trump town. If the utility prices stop going up like [Sherrill] says, and things get cheaper, it could change some things.”
When snowstorms or extreme weather occur, it’s not just utility prices that can be affected. The actual HVAC systems in residents’ homes may need emergency servicing during these inclement periods, and David Cuevas, a technician at Reactive Construction Services, said that extreme weather events can cause changes in traffic and pricing, depending on what is needed.
“During storms or extreme weather events, prices can increase because calls … are considered emergencies due to the conditions that technicians have to work in,” Cuevas said. “Extreme snow, heat, and nighttime conditions are all dangerous … for a technician to be working in, but since that customer won’t have heat or cooling in extreme weather conditions, we have to go out there. We get most of our customers during these events, like this storm. Different companies can have different prices for different services, but a call for a replacement in these storms is always considered and priced as an emergency.”
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