New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has joined governors from 12 other states and the mayor of Washington, D.C., in launching a new bipartisan initiative aimed at lowering electricity costs, improving power grid reliability, and giving states a stronger voice in decisions that affect utility bills.

The newly established PJM Governors’ Collaborative brings together state leaders from across the region served by PJM Interconnection, the organization responsible for managing the electric grid across 13 states and Washington, D.C., including New Jersey.

The coalition was formally established Thursday during a governors’ summit in Illinois, where participating leaders signed an agreement to coordinate efforts to address rising energy costs and push for greater accountability from PJM and utility companies.

“We are facing an energy affordability crisis,” Sherrill said. “Driving down costs for New Jerseyans will require strong, coordinated action across state and party lines to hold PJM and utility companies accountable and build a reliable grid that can power our interconnected region for years to come.”

The initiative comes as New Jersey residents continue to face high electricity bills, with growing energy demand and regional power market costs putting additional pressure on households and businesses.

Under the agreement, participating states will work together to develop strategies for energy affordability, share information, and coordinate with federal regulators and utility officials on decisions affecting electricity rates and grid reliability.

Sherrill said the partnership will allow Republican and Democratic governors to work together toward solutions that prioritize residents over utility company profits.

While the agreement does not provide immediate reductions in electricity bills, officials say the collaboration is intended to help control future costs and improve the reliability of the region’s power supply.