Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill promises to declare a state of emergency on day one in order to freeze electricity rates that she says are “breaking the back of too many families” in New Jersey.

Sherrill also pledged to “massively increase” in-state power generation to bring down costs through the introduction of significant new supply.

Her pledge comes after attacks from her Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli who blames state Democrats for the soaring rates that have happened on their watch. It is a campaign issue that has gathered steam as well in the contests for the 80 Assembly seats that are on the November ballot.

Ciattarelli has claimed that Sherrill has been a supporter of Gov. Phil Murphy’s energy policies, which he says have caused the rate hikes. Murphy is term-limited and could not seek reelection this year.

New Jersey Democrats have tried to focus public attention on multistate grid operator PJM Interconnection, saying that PJM has been too slow to bring renewable energy sources onto the grid. Ciattarelli and the state’s Republicans have responded with attacks on Murphy’s focus on renewables and his failed offshore wind initiative.

Sherrill also attacks PJM, but saves enough ammunition to spread blame broadly. In an unusual move she placed some of the blame on the Murphy administration, saying, “Too many people – our utility companies and grid operator, the administration in Trenton, and Donald Trump in Washington – have kicked the can down the road and not been held accountable for their decisions.” She added: “That changes when I am governor.”

Sherrill’s plan, available here, says that she will ensure greater transparency from the state’s utilities, opening the books to make the public aware “where rising costs to families are going.”

She also said she would instruct the state’s attorney general to sue the Trump administration and PJM to “force them to end their mismanagement and instead accelerate the development of cheaper and cleaner energy sources and connect new power generation to our grid immediately.”

The plan’s focus on increasing supply includes solar and battery storage projects, expansion of existing nuclear facilities and modernization of existing natural gas facilities to make them cleaner and more efficient.

How Sherrill would honor these pledges is unclear. It is not certain that the governor has the power to freeze rates. The promise of massive new supplies of in-state power may also be beyond the governor’s reach. That was a concern experts raised at a recent Board of Public Utilities panel discussion.

She says she will cut red tape and permitting delays in order to “open the floodgates” on new, cheaper and cleaner energy projects.

One area open to the state that Sherrill did not specifically mention is to allow the state’s four electricity distribution utilities again to own and operate their own generation facilities.

Sherrill referenced her military background when she said, “In the military, you’re trained to run towards a crisis. When I was leading my crews as a Navy helicopter pilot, everyone was accountable to me, and delaying my response to an emergency wasn’t an option.

“New Jersey is facing an energy crisis now because no one has taken leadership and no one has been held accountable. That’s not how I was trained, and it’s not how I will govern.”

Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.