List of power stations in New Jersey facts for kids

New Jersey is home to many different types of power stations that create the electricity we use every day. In 2020, New Jersey's power plants could produce a total of 17,424 megawatts (MW) of power. They generated 61,106 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity.

Most of this electricity came from natural gas (47.8%) and nuclear power (45.8%). Smaller amounts came from solar (2.5%), coal (1.7%), biomass (1.2%), and other sources.

New Jersey wants to use more clean energy. In 2018, the state set a goal for 21% of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2021. This goal increases to 35% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. In 2023, Governor Phil Murphy even set a goal for New Jersey to use 100% clean electricity by 2035! Most of New Jersey's renewable energy comes from solar panels. Many homes and businesses also have their own solar panels, which add a lot of clean energy to the state's power grid.

Nuclear Power Stations

Nuclear power stations use the heat from splitting atoms to create electricity. This process does not produce greenhouse gases, which are bad for the environment. New Jersey has two main nuclear power stations. Another one, the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, stopped working in 2018.

Fossil-Fuel Power Stations

Fossil-fuel power stations burn fuels like natural gas or petroleum to create electricity. These fuels are called "fossil fuels" because they formed from ancient plants and animals over millions of years. Burning them can release gases that affect the climate.

Natural Gas Power Plants

Natural gas is the most common fuel used to make electricity in New Jersey. Many power plants use natural gas.

Petroleum Power Plants

Some power plants in New Jersey use petroleum (oil) to make electricity. These are often smaller plants or used as backup power.

Renewable Power Stations

Renewable power stations use natural resources that can be replaced, like sunlight, wind, or water. These sources are much better for the environment because they don't run out and produce less pollution.

Biomass and Waste-to-Energy Plants

These plants create electricity by burning organic materials (biomass) or municipal solid waste (trash). Some even use gas collected from landfills!

Hydroelectric Power Plants

Hydroelectric plants use the power of moving water, usually from dams, to spin turbines and create electricity.

Wind Farms

Wind farms use large wind turbines to capture the energy from the wind and turn it into electricity.

Solar Power Plants (Photovoltaic)

Solar power plants use solar panels to turn sunlight directly into electricity. New Jersey has many solar installations, including large power plants and smaller systems on homes and businesses.

Electricity Storage Stations

Sometimes, electricity is made when it's not immediately needed. Storage power stations can save this extra energy to use later, like when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing.

Battery Storage

These stations use large batteries, similar to the ones in your phone but much bigger, to store electricity.

Pumped Storage

Pumped storage plants use electricity to pump water uphill into a reservoir. When electricity is needed, the water is released downhill through turbines, generating power.

Decommissioned Power Plants

"Decommissioned" means these power plants have stopped working and are being taken apart or made safe.

See also

• Hudson Project
• PJM Interconnection
• List of power stations in the United States
• List of electric companies in New Jersey