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NJBPU Advances Garden State Energy Storage Program (GSESP)
On May 20, 2026 the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) opened the pre-qualification window for Tranche 2 of Phase 1 of the Garden State Energy Storage Program (GSESP), which offers incentives for the installation of transmission-scale energy storage.
Battery energy storage systems reduce peak demand on the grid, shift electricity use away from the most expensive hours, improve grid efficiency, and can defer expensive transmission upgrades.
With these benefits in mind, the GSESP supports Governor Sherrill’s energy affordability agenda (Executive Order No. 1) and addresses New Jersey’s utility-cost-related emergency (Executive Order No. 2) by expanding flexible power resources in New Jersey to reduce electricity cost spikes.
Key GSESP Dates and Deadlines
- Pre-qualification window opens: May 20, 2026
- Deadline for guaranteed pre-qualification review for deficiency and opportunity for correction: June 10, 2026
- Pre-qualification deficiencies will be reported to bidders by this date for correction: June 26, 2026
- Deadline for bidder’s question submissions: July 1, 2026
- Deadline for final bid submission: August 7, 2026
- Board decision on bids: October 28, 2026
NJBPU also published the following Tranche 2 materials today:
- Final Pre-qualification Request and Final Application Instructions
- Pre-qualification Request
- Final Application
- Bid Fee Form
- Proposed Community Benefits Evaluation Method
More information, including these materials, is available at NJBPU’s Clean Energy Storage webpage.
