Fixed Rate
Non-Renewable
Jesery Central Power & Light Company History
In 1907, a group of citizens in Morristown, NJ, organized the Morris and Somerset Electric Company. The company grew and expanded, eventually acquiring several smaller nearby north New Jersey electricity companies by 1920. Trouble blocked further expansion in late 1922 when the company was sued by its rival, Commonwealth Electic Comapany over permitting to bring service to a community of 29 customers.
It was at that moment in January 1923, when former-evangelist-turned-businessman Abram Edward Fitkin took over the Morris and Somerset Electric Company to expand his growing utility empire. By March of that year, he merged Morris and Somerset with the rival Commonwealth Electic Comapany, forming the Central Jersey Power & Light Company. Within the next two years, Fitkin negotiated acquistions of 10 other smaller New Jersey utility companies and in February, 1925 and rolled them into the newly formed Jesery Central Power & Light Company (JCP&L). A month later, Fitkin established National Public Service Corporation as a holding Co to control JCP&L.
Fitkin's success had been closely observed by Samuel Insull's Middle West Utiliies Company. And in 1926, Middle West snapped up Fitkin's National Public Service Corporation and with it, JCP&L.
The 1929 stock market crash and collapse of Insull's empire led to passage of the Public Utilty Holding Company Act of 1935. Following World War II, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dismantled the old free-wheeling utilty holding companies and replaced them with new federally-regulated utility holding companies. In 1946, Jersey Central Power & Light Company joined with the Pennsylvania utility companies, Met-Ed and Penelec to form General Public Utilities Corporation (GPU). The post war period saw rising demand for electricity in both states, in 1955 GPU served about 1.2 million customers in PA and New Jersey. As a result GPU invested in nuclear power generation both in New Jersey's Oyster Creek plant and the ill-fated Three Mile Island plant in PA.
When New Jersey deregulated its electricity market in 1999, JCP&L was forced to begin selling off its generators in order to become a distribution-only utility. A short time later in 2001, FirstEnergy Corporation acquired GPU, and with it JCP&L, for $4.5 billion.
Today, as part of the FirstEnergy Corporation, JCP&L continues its long-standing tradition as one of the state's leading utilities. The company gives back to the communities it serves through the Community Connections Program, supporting education through its STEM Grant, and charitable giving through the FirstEnergy Foundation.
JCP&L Service Territory
JCP&L serves these 1.1 million customers in some or all of these central and northern New Jersey counties:
| Burlington | Essex | Mercer | Middlesex |
| Monmouth | Morris | Ocean | Somerset |
| Sussex | Union | Warren | |
JCP&L serves these cities:
Shop for JCP&L Energy Suppliers In Your Area.
Fixed Rate
Non-Renewable
Compare JCP&L Electricity & Natural Gas Rates
Compare third party supplier electricity and natural gas rates
in the JCP&L service area.
- Enter zip code.
- Select electricity or natural gas.
- Choose "residential" or "business".
- Click "Shop for Rates".
New Jersey electricity and natural gas utility service territories can overlap in some zipcode areas. If the tool reports that it has found more than one serving your zip code, don't worry! Just choose your local utility from those listed.
You'll then get to see the listing of all the energy suppliers' plans available in your area, along with rates, term lengths, and links to more detail information.
How to Start New JCP&L Electricity Service
Starting electricity service is fast and easy. Just visit the FirstEnergy web site and simply fill in the online Start Service form.
Start requests take at least 2 days to process. Customers should call the company's Contact Center if they need their service turned on sooner.
Be ready to supply:
- Service Address: The address where you want your service turned on or switched.
- The start date for electricity service.
- Personal Information: You will need your name, phone number, email address, and your Social Security Number. These will be required.
- Unfrozen Credit: If you have frozen your credit with any of the major credit agencies, you will need to have it temporarily unfrozen. The utility will do a soft credit check to determine if a deposit is required.
Will I Need to Pay a Deposit?
JCP&L checks your credit worthiness before setting up an account and to determine whether you will need to pay a deposit.
TIP -- Be sure to unfreeze your credit. If you have frozen your credit with any of the major credit agencies, you will need to have it temporarily unfrozen before you submit a new service request.
New Jersey law allows utilties to charge a reasonable deposit as a condition of supplying service to new customers.
- The deposit amount is calculated at two times the average monthly bill for the previous 12 months.
- Deposits are usually due with the first bill. However, customers can contact JCP&L customer service to arrange installment payments.
- Customers that fail to pay a bill within 30 days of the due date may require an existing customer to furnish a deposit or increase their existing deposit.
- Deposits are eligible to be returned to residential customers after 12 months of on-time payment.
- Customers can have their deposit refund applied to their account as a credit or receive a refund check.
Understand JCP&L Delivery and Supply Charges
In New Jersey, residential customers pay for both the cost to deliver their electricity and the amount of electricity supply that they use.
- Delivery Charges are fixed rate charges (tariffs) representing the cost of reliably transmitting electricity to your home via JCP&L's network of power lines. The charges cover JCP&L's local infrastructure operating costs, maintenance, and ensure them a profit. Other usage-based charges are small costs from riders to fund projects, cover fees, etc. JCP&L's delivery charges must be approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU). All JCP&L customers pay the same set Delivery rate for their electricity, no matter who supplies their energy.
- Supply Charges represent the price for the amount of energy supply that you use. Customers can choose JCP&L's "Price to Compare" for electricity supply. However, because of New Jersey 's Energy Choice program, customers are free to also choose energy from a competitive retailer called a "Third Party Supplier" or TPS.
Understand JCP&L PTC Charges
The BPU requires JCP&L to provide electricity supply to customers in their service territory who don't shop for a retail supplier at a basic service rate. This default rate is overseen by the BPU. Because JCP&L is prohibited from making a profits on it, the cost is passed directly through to consumers without mark up. This cost is called the Price to Compare.
Price to Compare (PTC)
The PTC or "Basic Generation Service" represents the actual price the utility pays for the electricity. It includes not only the cost to generate the electricity but also the cost to transmit it from power stations over high tension power lines to JCP&L's local electrical switch yards. From there, the electricity is distributed throughout JCP&L's local electrical grid for delivery to homes.
PTC rates are set during a statewide auction process that is usually held each year in February to serve different demand periods. Summer rates usually begin on June 1 and end September 30. Similarly, winter rates run from October 1 through May 31. That means electricity rates can vary seasonally; low some months, higher the next.
JCP&L Current PTC Residential Rate: 11.330 cents per kWh, expires 4/30/2025
How Much Do JCP&L PTC Charges Cost?
The PTC JCP&L electric rate usually changes twice during the year. However, your utility can file a request for an increase at any time. That makes it important for consumers to know and understand how much they are paying for their electricity in any one month.
How much is the JCP&L Electric PTC rate?
The BPU estimates that the average New Jersey residence uses an average of 687 kWh each month.
In order to cover peak demand delivery costs, JCP&L divides the year into summer rates (June through September) and non-summer rates. JCP&L currently charges a different residential distribution rate for any usage over 600 kWh per month. However, in the current tariff, it's only the summer months where the rate is different. Therefore, an average, non-summer, residential PTC bill roughly breaks down like this:
| Rate per 687 kWh Used, including Sales and Use Tax (SUT) | Monthly Customer Charge | Total | |
| PTC Supply Rate | 11.330 cents | 0 | $77.84 |
| Monthly Distribution Charges | $0.029367 per kWh | $3.25 | $20.16 |
| Total Bill | $98.00 |
Understand New Jersey Energy Choice
New Jersey energy consumers are free to choose their own competitive retail electricity supplier. Known as "Third Party Suppliers" or TPS, they shop deals with different producers on the wholesale market to offer their customers competitive rates. As such, TPS rates are not controlled by the BPU. This way, retail suppliers are able to offer competitively priced fixed rate plans for a variety of term lengths.
Though it can seem confusing, shopping for cheap New Jersey electricity is an easy process. The trick is finding the one that meets your needs. That's why retail energy suppliers in New Jersey offer two types of plans:
Understand Your Energy Usage and Your JCP&L Bill
While your energy usage habits are unique to you, any New Jersey native will tell you, winters can be blustery and cold while summers can be hot and muggy. In the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., about 52% of an average home's energy usage goes to space heating.
Average Annual Usage Breakdown
Want to learn more about your home energy usage? JCP&L customers can see 13 months of their past electric usage plus other relevant information free of charge on their JCP&L on-line account.
The best way to cut your gas bill is to reduce your usage:
Understand Your JCP&L Bill
Your JCP&L electric and natural gas bill also comes packed full of useful information to help you better understand your usage and rate. But all these different line items that can be confusing to customers. Here is where we break down the most important items. Below is a sample JCP&L Electricity & Natural Gas bill.
JCP&L Sample Bill
- A, B, & C: Bill Overview. It includes your address and personal 12 digit account number with JCP&L, the billing period, the amount due, and the date that the bill is due.
- D & E: Messages and current PTC rate. Here you find important notifications from JCP&L as well as their current Price to Compare rate.
- F: Account Summary shows the amounts of any unpaid balances, current JCP&L distribution charges, current supply charges, the total bill and the due date.
- G: Meter Summary: This shows the usage information measured by the electric meter at your address.
- H: Charges from JCP&L include the type of rate you are being charged, the monthly customer charge, the distribution charges, and the total.
- I: Charges from Electric Generation Supplier show the name and address of your electricity supplier, their base rate charged, and the total supplier charges due.
- J: Account Balances by Company lays out the amounts you have paid or are owe to JCP&L and your NJ electricity supplier.
- K: Shows your usage history per bill over the course of the past year to help you compare your energy use over time and understand trends.
- L: Payment Stub. Just detach and return with your payment. It also includes your account number, amount paid, amount due, and the due date.
JCP&L Coupons, Energy Promotions, Discounts, Rebates and Promo Codes
As your local electric utility, JCP&L offers several rebate and energy efficiency programs to help customers save money off their monthly bill by upgrading their home's energy performance. Some programs also offer money-saving incentives while others could make paying your monthly bills much easier during those expensive winter months.
| Program Name | Program Type | Benefit |
| Appliance and HVAC Rebates Program | Energy Efficiency Rebate Program | JCP&L residential customers can now take advantage of rebates on the purchase of ENERGY STAR® certified appliances and HVAC systems.
|
| Lighting Discounts Program | Energy Efficiency Rebate Program | JCP&L has partnered with the following local retailers to offer instant discounts on select ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs. Participating stores include Costco, Dollar Tree, Goodwill, Lowe's, Sam's Club, Target, Home Depot, and Walmart. |
| Appliance Recylcing Program | Energy Efficiency Rebate Program | Recycle your old working fridge or freezer and get $50. You can also receive a $25 rebate for an old, working dehumidifiers unit if picked up along with a qualifying fridge or freezer. Plus, you can save money on your electricity bill when you purchase a new ENERGY STAR® appliance to replace it.
|
| Home Energy Analyzer | Energy Efficiency Rebate Program | First Energy's Home Energy Analyzer is a simple, convenient tool you can use to save energy and money. Best of all, it's free. Just register online with your account number and zip code. |
| Quick Home Energy Check-up Program | Energy Efficiency Rebate Program | First Energy customers can sign up for the no cost Quick Home Energy Check-up, an in-person assessment of your property's energy efficiency. Includes installation of free energy saving products and recommendations for upgrades that can qualify for rebates. |
| Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program | Energy Efficiency Rebate Program | First Energy customers can sign up with a participating contractor and schedule a home energy audit. Through this program, a specially trained Participating Contractor will come to your home and:
You may qualify for rebates up to $5,000 to cover imporvements once the audit is completed. |
| Home Weatherization Program | Residential Energy Efficiency | You may be eligible to receive a free assessment to identify areas for energy efficiency improvements. Depending on your home's needs, you also may be eligible for installation of up to $6,000 in energy efficiency upgrades and up to $1,500 in health and safety improvements at no cost to you.
Among the improvements included: |
| BPU Winter Termination Program | Bill payment assistance | From November 15 through March 15, the program prevents residential gas and electric customers who qualify from having their gas or electric service disconnected during the winter months. Call JCP&L Customer Service. |
| JCP&L Payment Arrangements | Bill payment assistance | JCP&L offers payment arrangements to allow residential customers to pay their account balance in monthly installments. These installments are billed along with your current monthly charges and both must be paid on time, in full each month.
|
| Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) | Bill payment assistance | A Federal grant to help pay your winter heating bills. JCP&L heating customers that apply usually receive an average of $300 towards their energy bill, and about $200 for medically necessary cooling, if qualified. |
| New Jersey Universal Service Fund (USF) | Bill payment assistance | The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities created the Universal Service Fund (USF) to help make energy bills more affordable for customers. If you're eligible, USF can lower the amount you have to pay for your gas and electric bills. You can apply online. |
| New Jersey Lifeline for Seniors and Disabled Adults | Bill payment assistance | New Jersey Lifeline is a $225 yearly electric or gas bill credit for seniors or disabled adults in New Jersey. To qualify, you must be a New Jersey resident, 65 years of age or older, or 18 years of age or older and receiving Social Security Title II Disability benefits. |
| Equal Payment Plans | Bill payment assistance | The Equal Payment Plan (EPP) allows you to avoid spiking winter and summer bills |
JCP&L Reviews
Because JCP&L serves a large New Jersey market segment, understanding how it compares to other large-scale incumbant utilities can show just how well it serves its residential customers. JCP&L is not rated by the BBB but was rated above average in J.D. Power's 2022 utility residential customer satisfaction study. The utility also placed well in Escalent's 2022 study, Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Residential.
| NJ Energy Ratings Score | Better Business Bureau | J.D. Power 2022 Electricity Utilty Study | Escalent 2022 Utility Study |
| N/A | NOT RATED | 735 of 1000 pts |
645 of 1000 pts |
How do I Get the Cheapest JCP&L Rate?
Shopping energy plans from new Third Party Supplier in JCP&L can seem bewildering at first. Once you understand how it works, though, it's an easy and straightforward process. That said, you should have these three things with you when you shop for electricity or natural gas.
- Your current bill. Your past usage per billing period can help you estimate a how much a plan might cost you each month.
- The current JCP&L BGS electric rate and expiration date. Knowing the current JCP&L supply cost gives you a price to compare with alternative energy suppliers. This way, you can get a better feel for what they're offering, for how long, and if any of their incentives make their price work for your family's need.
- Your JCP&L customer account number. This 12 digit number is located in the upper right corner of your bill. Keeping this information handy lets you sign up for TPS offers right away.
JCP&L Shopping Questions
Often when you know the right questions to ask you'll learn exactly what you need to save money or avoid making a bad choice. When you shop electricity rates from a TPS in New Jersey, always be sure to ask the supplier these important questions:
- Is the rate competitive with JCP&L's electricity basic supply rate?
- Is the rate variable or is it fixed?
- How long does the plan last?
- What happens when the contract expires?
- Does the plan have any recurring monthly charges?
- Does the plan come with an early cancellation fee?
- Does the supplier offer any customer incentives or rewards?
There are also some other important things to understand ahead of time:
Who bills me? JCP&L sends a single bill that outlines and adds up your monthly charges.
What are the Terms of Service? The Terms of Service explain and identify specific charges and any fees a customer will face when they sign up for an electricity plan. Many suppliers offer different rates for plans with different term lengths. All New Jersey energy customers should read and understand what's in a TPS's terms of service and contract summary for any plan they are interested in before they agree to the plan.
What are early termination fees? Switching retail suppliers before a contract ends can involve paying early termination fees. These can take a chomp out of your checking account if you switch retail providers before your electric plan contract ends.
Where can I find more information on my usage? JCP&L customers can request up to 13 months of their usage plus other relevant information free of charge on their monthly JCP&L bill or through their online JCP&L account.
Read JCP&L Customer Reviews
Compare Electricity Rates in Your Area
Electricity Service Out?
Contact JCP&L !
Problems or interruptions with your JCP&L Electricity service? Here's the proper people to call:
- Billing problems? - First thing to do is contact JCP&L. If you have trouble paying your monthly bill call JCP&L 's Customer Service:1-(800)-662-3115.
- Need extra time to pay your energy bill? If you are at least 60 years old or receive a Social Security or pension check, or if you receive disability assistance, you can ask for an Extended Due Date by contacting JCP&L. Call Customer Service or apply on-line.
Emergencies and Outages
For all emergencies, call 911 immediately!
- Electricity -- call JCP&L at 888-LIGHTSS (888-544-4877).
- All power transmission lines are extremely dangerous! Never attempt to move a downed power line by yourself. Call 911 and then notifiy JCP&L.
- Follow current JCP&L electric outages as they are being repaired.
Latest Jersey Central Power & Light News
JCP&L New Jersey Service Area Providers
| Company | Rating | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Spark Energy | (3.8/5) |
(866) 605-8658 |
| Green Mountain Energy | (3.4/5) |
|
| Frontier Utilities | (3.4/5) |
866-607-3081 |
| Constellation | (3.4/5) |
|
| Direct Energy | (3.3/5) |
(866) 645-2643 |
| Sunwave Gas & Power | (3/5) |
|
| Verde Energy | (3/5) |
|
| XOOM Energy | (3/5) |
|
| CleanSky Energy | (3/5) |
800-581-1016 |
| APG&E | (2.5/5) |
|
| NextEra Energy Services | (2.2/5) |
855-639-8091 |
| NJG&E | (2/5) |
|
| NRG Home | (0/5) |
|
| SFE Energy | (0/5) |
|
| National Gas & Electric | (0/5) |
|
| American Power & Gas | (0/5) |
866-682-9816 |
| 16 results | ||
