Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) Rate Selection Guide
Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a FirstEnergy electric distribution utility, serves about 1.17 million customers in northern and central New Jersey. JCP&L has deployed AMI smart meters territory-wide and supports billing/usage access via the FirstEnergy online portal, ANSI X12 EDI (814HU/867HU), a third-party data-access portal, and Zigbee HAN pulse output - with Green Button Connect expected under pending NJ BPU rules.
Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGS-RSCP | commercial | 11.327 cents/kWh closing price (JCP&L, energy year starting June 1, 2026) | Residential and small/medium commercial default supply |
| BGS-CIEP | industrial | $680.00/MW-day capacity (JCP&L, June 1, 2026); energy at PJM hourly spot | Large C&I (GP/GT, or GS/GST >= 500 kW peak-load share) |
| GS / GST (delivery) | commercial | Customer charge + per-kWh/per-kW delivery charges (see JCP&L BPU tariff) | General commercial accounts at secondary voltage |
| GP / GT (delivery) | industrial | Demand + energy delivery charges (see JCP&L BPU tariff) | Primary-voltage commercial/industrial accounts |
Market Overview
New Jersey electricity supply is deregulated. JCP&L is the regulated delivery (wires) utility; supply (generation) is competitive. Default supply is Basic Generation Service (BGS), procured via the NJ BPU's annual statewide auction. Customers may instead choose a licensed third-party supplier. Residential and small/medium commercial take BGS-RSCP; large C&I take BGS-CIEP.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
New Jersey municipalities may form Government Energy Aggregation programs to procure competitive electricity supply on behalf of residents and small businesses, with opt-out participation.
Current Rate Schedules
JCP&L's C&I bill combines regulated delivery charges (set in its BPU tariff) with a competitive supply (generation) component. Supply is either a third-party supplier rate or default Basic Generation Service (BGS) priced via the NJ BPU's annual auction. For the energy year beginning June 1, 2026, the BGS-RSCP (residential/small commercial) closing price for JCP&L was 11.327 cents/kWh, and the BGS-CIEP (large C&I) capacity component cleared at $680.00/MW-day. CIEP energy is priced hourly at the PJM spot price, with capacity/RPS recovered via the auction. Specific delivery (distribution) rates by service classification (GS, GST, GP, GT) are set in the JCP&L BPU tariff - see the tariff book.
Effective: June 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS-RSCP (Residential & Small Commercial Pricing) | commercial | Default supply for residential and small/medium commercial customers who have not chosen a third-party supplier. | Fixed-price supply rate set by the annual BGS auction (3-year laddered tranches). JCP&L closing price for the energy year starting June 1, 2026 was 11.327 cents/kWh. Billed volumetrically per kWh on top of delivery charges. | — |
| BGS-CIEP (Commercial & Industrial Energy Pricing) | industrial | Large C&I customers - GP/GT and GS/GST customers with peak-load share >= 500 kW. | Full-requirements product: energy priced hourly at the PJM spot price; the auction price ($680.00/MW-day capacity for JCP&L, effective June 1, 2026) covers capacity and State RPS. ~81% of CIEP load is served by direct third-party contracts. | — |
| Service Classification GS / GST (General Service - Secondary) | commercial | General commercial service at secondary voltage. | Regulated delivery: monthly customer/service charge plus per-kWh (and, for larger accounts, per-kW demand) distribution charges and riders, per the JCP&L BPU tariff. Supply is BGS or a third-party rate. | — |
| Service Classification GP / GT (General Service - Primary) | industrial | General commercial/industrial service at primary voltage (larger demand customers). | Regulated delivery with demand (per-kW) and energy (per-kWh) distribution charges and riders, per the JCP&L BPU tariff. These customers are eligible for BGS-CIEP supply. | — |
| EV DriveN Commercial Program | ev | Commercial EV charging customers participating in JCP&L's EV program. | Program-specific charging incentives and make-ready support per the JCP&L EV DriveN Customer Program Guide (2022-2026); standard GS/GP delivery and BGS/third-party supply otherwise apply. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large industrial / high-demand facility
Primary-voltage industrial sites should take CIEP or a tailored third-party contract and aggressively manage PJM peak/capacity.
CIEP energy floats at the PJM hourly spot and capacity cleared at $680.00/MW-day; peak management and supplier contracting drive the biggest savings.
- Shop third-party supply (most CIEP load already does)
- Reduce coincident peak to lower the PLC/capacity tag
- Use interval data to target peak-hour curtailment
Small / medium commercial business
Small and mid-size commercial customers should compare a fixed third-party supply rate against default BGS-RSCP.
BGS-RSCP is fixed at 11.327 cents/kWh for the year starting June 1, 2026; a competitive supplier may beat it or add budget certainty.
- Compare offers on NJ shopping tools before BGS resets
- Confirm GS vs GST placement for your voltage/usage
- Watch for variable-rate rollovers and cancellation fees
Multi-site portfolio / energy manager
Portfolio managers should centralize JCP&L usage data via EDI or the Third-Party Data Access portal, then competitively procure supply.
Up to 24 months of data via EDI 814HU/867HU or the portal supports benchmarking and stronger supply RFPs across sites.
- Set up EDI trading-partner access for systematic monthly data
- Collect signed NJ LOAs for each customer/site
- Provision HAN devices where interval analysis is needed
Demand response / interval data needs
Customers pursuing demand response or detailed load analytics should provision a Zigbee HAN MPG-3 device now and plan for Green Button Connect.
Automated interval access (GBCMD) is pending NJ BPU rule (est. 2027-2028); HAN pulse output provides near-real-time intervals today.
- Submit the NJ Provisioning Request Form to FirstEnergySmartMeterProgram@Honeywell.com
- Budget ~$400-600 for the MPG-3 device plus electrician for power
- Enroll with a Curtailment Service Provider for PJM demand response
Historical Rate Trends
JCP&L supply prices reset annually via the BGS auction. The 2026 auction (certified February 12, 2026) raised the average JCP&L residential bill by 1.6% (from $135.24 to $137.47 at 650 kWh) effective June 1, 2026. BGS-RSCP cleared at 11.327 cents/kWh and BGS-CIEP capacity at $680.00/MW-day. A PJM capacity price collar ($325/MW-day cap, $175 floor) tempered increases; NJ Executive Order No. 1 directs bill credits to offset the June 2026 increase.
June 1, 2026
2026 BGS auction results take effect: average JCP&L residential bill rises from $135.24 to $137.47 (650 kWh). BGS-RSCP 11.327 cents/kWh; BGS-CIEP $680.00/MW-day capacity.
+1.6%Overall trend: Modestly rising supply prices driven by higher PJM wholesale energy and capacity costs, partially capped by the PJM price collar and offset by state bill credits.
Next expected change: Next BGS auction is in early 2027 for the energy year starting June 1, 2027. NJ BPU AMI Data Access Standards (Docket EX24090717) may also change data-access requirements (GBCMD) in the 2027-2028 timeframe.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because NJ supply is competitive, the largest C&I lever is the supply (generation) component - shopping a third-party supplier versus default BGS - while the regulated delivery side rewards demand management and correct rate-class placement. Large C&I customers on CIEP are exposed to hourly PJM energy and PJM capacity, making load shaping and peak management especially valuable.
Shop third-party supply vs. BGS
For: All C&I customers
Compare licensed third-party supplier offers against default BGS (RSCP fixed at 11.327 cents/kWh, or CIEP's hourly-plus-capacity structure) to lock budget certainty or capture savings. ~81% of CIEP load already uses direct contracts.
Manage peak demand (PJM capacity)
For: Large C&I on CIEP / GP / GT
CIEP and primary-voltage delivery charges are driven by peak demand and PJM capacity ($680.00/MW-day cleared for JCP&L). Reducing coincident peak (PLC/ICAP tag) directly lowers capacity cost.
Use interval data for load shaping
For: C&I customers with smart meters
Provision a Zigbee HAN MPG-3 device (or use EDI/portal monthly data) to analyze load shape, target peak reduction, and support demand-response enrollment with a CSP.
Verify service classification
For: Commercial/industrial accounts near class thresholds
Confirm whether GS/GST (secondary) or GP/GT (primary) and BGS-RSCP vs. CIEP eligibility (>= 500 kW peak-load share) yields the lowest total cost for your load profile.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Does JCP&L offer interval (smart meter) data to commercial customers?▾
Yes, but not yet through an automated API. JCP&L's AMI smart meters support near-real-time interval data via a qualified Zigbee Home Area Network (HAN) device (Solid State Instruments MPG-3) that the customer installs and provisions. EDI 867 and the portal return monthly usage only. Standardized automated interval access via Green Button Connect is pending NJ BPU rulemaking (Docket EX24090717), estimated 2027-2028.
How are JCP&L commercial and industrial supply rates set?▾
New Jersey supply is deregulated. Delivery is regulated under JCP&L's BPU tariff, while supply is competitive. Default supply is Basic Generation Service (BGS) set by the NJ BPU's annual auction: BGS-RSCP for small/medium commercial (JCP&L cleared 11.327 cents/kWh for the year starting June 1, 2026) and BGS-CIEP for large C&I (capacity cleared at $680.00/MW-day, with energy at the PJM hourly spot price). Most CIEP customers contract directly with third-party suppliers.
What is the difference between BGS-RSCP and BGS-CIEP?▾
BGS-RSCP (Residential & Small Commercial Pricing) is a fixed per-kWh supply price for residential and small/medium commercial customers, procured through laddered 3-year tranches. BGS-CIEP (Commercial & Industrial Energy Pricing) serves large C&I customers (GP/GT, or GS/GST with peak-load share >= 500 kW); its energy is priced hourly at the PJM spot price while the auction sets the capacity and RPS component.
How can a third party or consultant access a JCP&L customer's usage data?▾
With a signed New Jersey Letter of Authorization (LOA), a registered third party can request up to 24 months of data through FirstEnergy's Third-Party Data Access portal (PDF/CSV/Excel, ~5-15 business days) or via EDI 814HU, which returns an 867HU monthly-usage response within one business day. Aggregated/anonymous data can be requested without individual LOAs.
Does JCP&L support EDI for data exchange?▾
Yes. JCP&L (FirstEnergy) supports ANSI X12 EDI version 004010 over the NAESB EDI network (SFTP/TLS 1.2+) or via a VAN. Key transactions include 814HU (historical usage request) and 867HU (monthly usage response, returned within one business day), following the NJ BPU EDI implementation guides.
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