The New Jersey legislature is to consider a bill that will allow the private sector to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain energy projects in the state. 

The state government aims to promote private-sector investment in energy-related projects at government-owned facilities. The bill is expected to address the familiar problem of finding a source of funding to undertake a wide range of projects that could replace deficient energy systems with more reliable and less costly alternatives at government facilities like municipal buildings, wastewater-treatment plants, universities and prisons.

The Senate Bill 2958 would allow private companies to partner with public entities to upgrade energy-related facilities and even develop new generation systems, including solar, wind, and microgrids with its primary focus of managing the energy load at these locations more efficiently. 

The Bill is modeled after legislation passed in the United Kingdom and adopted by Canada. Also known as the Public Private Partnership Act, the bill would establish a unit in the state's Economic Development Authority. This so-called P3 unit would be responsible for developing and implementing polices to promote energy upgrades at government-owned facilities together with the setting up of a contracting process involving private companies that are pre-qualified to pursue such projects.