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The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) issued an order adopting Staff recommendations for modifying the USF program for program year 2025 (PY25), beginning October 1, 2025.

Among other things, recommendations adopted include: (1) for gas and electric accounts each, increases in USF monthly: (i) minimum benefit from $5.00 to $20.00; and (ii) maximum benefit from $180.00 to $200.00; (2) requiring Staff to periodically review “the minimum and maximum USF benefit amounts, as well as explore alternative calculations of household income and longer recertification periods, to determine their cost and effectiveness while maintaining program integrity and alignment with the federal LIHEAP program”; (3) requiring utilities to increase USF enrollment in their territories over the prior year’s enrollment by: (i) 5% in PY26; (ii) 3% in PY27; and (iii) 2% in PY28; and (4) requiring utilities to: (i) invest in the necessary equipment and staffing to thoroughly assist customers with income-eligibility pre-screens and USF applications; (ii) “File annual USF outreach plans… by September 30 each year”; (iii) “File annual USF outreach reports… by November 30 each year”; and (iv) “promote Comfort Partners and USF across eligible populations and shall include any applicable Comfort Partners statistics in the Annual Outreach Report.”

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(Proceeding to receive and review a rate design policy regarding affordability for low- and moderate-income (LMI) households in New Jersey’s pursuit of ambitious clean energy goals.)