Winter Termination Program Now Active: Eligible NJ Households Protected from Utility Shutoffs Through March 15
Expanded Protections Now Cover Electric, Gas, Water, and Sewer Services
TRENTON, N.J. (November 14, 2025) The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJDCA), today announced that the 2025-2026 Winter Termination Program (WTP) is now in effect, protecting eligible New Jersey residents from having their essential utility services shut off during the coldest months of the year.
Running from November 15, 2025, through March 15, 2026, the program prevents disconnecting electric, gas, water, and sewer services for qualifying residential customers, ensuring that vulnerable customers facing financial hardship maintain access to heat, power, and water throughout the winter season.
"For more than two decades, the Winter Termination Program has been a critical safety net for New Jersey families during the most challenging months of the year," said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. "This program reflects our commitment to ensuring that no New Jerseyan has to choose between paying their utility bills and meeting other essential needs during the winter months. We encourage all eligible residents to contact their utility providers today to secure this vital protection."
Since its formal establishment for electric and gas utilities in 2008—building on earlier protections dating back to at least 2003—the Winter Termination Program has provided critical assistance to hundreds of thousands of New Jersey households. During the 2024-2025 winter approximately 283,738 gas, electric, sewer and water customers were protected under WTP.
In 2021, the program was significantly expanded when Governor Phil Murphy formally extended WTP shutoff protections to residential water and sewer customers under the NJBPU’s jurisdiction and created WTPs for electric, water and sewer customers under the NJDCA’s jurisdiction, creating a comprehensive, statewide approach to prevent all essential utility disconnections during winter months.
New Jersey Among States Leading Winter Utility Protection Efforts
New Jersey is part of a growing number of states that recognize the critical importance of preventing utility shutoffs during cold weather months. Similar seasonal protection programs exist across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions, reflecting a nationwide commitment to protecting vulnerable populations from losing heat and essential services during winter.
"New Jersey's Winter Termination Program stands as a model among state utility protection initiatives," added President Guhl-Sadovy. "While each state tailors its program to local conditions and needs, we all share the same fundamental goal: ensuring that no family loses access to heat, power, or water during the winter months. New Jersey's comprehensive approach—covering electric, gas, water, and sewer services—represents one of the most expansive protections in the nation."
"We are here to help New Jersey families navigate these challenging times,” said NJDCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suarez. “Whether through the Winter Termination Program, LIHEAP, or our other assistance programs, we have resources available to ensure that residents can keep their homes warm and their utilities this winter,” she said.
Who Is Eligible?
New Jersey residents may qualify for the Winter Termination Program if they are recipients of any of the following assistance programs:
- Federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD)
- General Assistance (GA) benefits
- Universal Service Fund (USF)
- Lifeline Credit Program
Considering the delayed SNAP - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - payments due to the federal shutdown in November 2025, SNAP recipients may self-certify to their utility that they are experiencing financial hardship.
Finally, individuals unable to pay their utility bills due to circumstances beyond their control may also qualify. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to:
- Unemployment
- Illness
- Medically related expenses
- Recent death of an immediate family member
- Any other circumstances resulting in financial hardship
How to Enroll
To receive Winter Termination Program protection, eligible residents must contact their utility company directly and notify them of their qualification. This can be done verbally or by submitting a self-certification form for eligible customers receiving residential electric, sewer and water service from a local authority, municipal utility, or rural electric cooperative. Documentation of enrollment in a qualifying assistance program may be requested.
Important: While WTP prevents service shutoffs during the period of November 15-March 15, customers remain responsible for their accumulated utility bills. Participants are strongly encouraged to make good-faith payments based on their ability to pay throughout the winter to avoid large overdue balances when the protection period ends on March 15, 2026.
Beyond shutoff protection, New Jersey offers several programs to help residents pay their utility bills:
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): Provides heating assistance grants for households at or below 60 percent of state median income. Applications are processed on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis.
Universal Service Fund (USF): Offers monthly utility bill credits of between $20 and $200 on electric and gas bills for households at or below 60 percent of state median income.
SHARES: SHARES offers several energy assistance and water assistance programs to low-and-moderate income residential customers who have overdue balances on their utility bills that they cannot pay due to financial hardship.
Households can apply for USF and LIHEAP energy assistance programs with one application through the DCAid portal at www.nj.gov/dca/dcaid or by calling 1-800-510-3102 to reach a community action agency partner for application assistance. Moderate income households or those seeking water assistance should contact the statewide nonprofit organization SHARES at: www.sharesnation.org or by calling: 866-657-4273.
For more information about the Winter Termination Program, residents should:
- Contact their utility company directly to request WTP protection
- Call NJBPU at 1-800-624-0241 for program information
- Call 2-1-1 for general assistance program information
- Visit www.nj.gov/bpu/assistance/programs/ for information about available assistance programs
- Visit www.nj.gov/dca/dcaid to apply for LIHEAP and USF programs
The LIHEAP application season began October 1st and lasts until June 30 or while funds last. USF is available on a rolling basis. Early enrollment ensures protection throughout the entire winter season.
About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)
NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate, and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications, and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit www.nj.gov/bpu.
About the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJDCA)
NJDCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including affordable housing production, fire and building safety, community planning and development, local government management and finance, disaster recovery and mitigation, and utility assistance programs. For more information about NJDCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/.
