Supplier Check: Direct Energy in New Jersey
Direct Energy gets a checklist, not a number. The state's complaint reports use a layout our Pennsylvania formula cannot read. So each of five rules is marked below, and every mark has a link and a read date. How we check explains each rule.
- PassLicensed to sell to homes here
The BPU's active list names Direct Energy Services, LLC under electric licence ESL-0242. The listing covers home and business customers in four utility areas.
Source: BPU active licence list. List dated Sept. 15, 2026, read Nov. 1, 2026
- FailBBB record
BBB's headquarters profile for Direct Energy LP in Houston lists an F rating, says the company is not BBB accredited and lists 99 complaints in the last 3 years. The Iselin, New Jersey profile for Direct Energy Services, LLC also shows an F.
Source: BBB headquarters profile, Direct Energy LP, Houston. Read Nov. 1, 2026
- Not publishedContract terms
Direct Energy posts its rate, term and cancel fee only after you give a service address, and we did not enter one. The row says Not published, not Fail.
Source: NJ Power Switch. Read Nov. 1, 2026
- Not publishedPrice against the price to compare
The state keeps no list of what suppliers charge. Type a quote of your own into the tool below to see where it lands.
Source: NJ Power Switch. Read Nov. 1, 2026
- PassState record, last 5 years
No New Jersey action found since Nov. 2021. We searched BPU orders and Attorney General releases for Direct Energy by name. The BPU's four latest quarterly reports list 16 complaints about it. Older history: in 2018 the BPU accepted a $13,550 settlement from Gateway Energy Services, a Direct Energy subsidiary, over a billing error that moved 3,615 accounts to variable pricing.
Source: BPU board order of Sept. 17, 2018 and BPU and Attorney General releases. Searched Nov. 1, 2026
It passes the licence and state record checks and fails the BBB check. Price and terms are not published without a service address.
A score would mean forcing New Jersey's data into a Pennsylvania formula. The rules for this checklist are in how we check Ohio and New Jersey suppliers.
Does a Direct Energy quote beat my utility's price?
Ask Direct Energy for a price at your address. Put it in the tool with any monthly fee and the kWh you use, then pick your utility. The tool shows what you would gain or pay extra over a winter month, a summer month and a full year.
- 1Choose your utility.
Its name sits at the top of your bill.
- 2Enter the quoted rate.
Use cents per kWh and include tax.
- 3Enter any flat monthly charge.
Use 0 if the quote lists none.
- 4Enter your typical month.
Find kWh used in your bill's usage box.
"Costs more" means you would pay extra. "Saves" means money stays with you. Only the supply price is counted, so this is no bill, and delivery charges, credits and contract terms are left out.
Partner toolWe get paid if you sign up. You don’t pay more, and it never changes our scores.
What did the BPU count about Direct Energy?
Every quarter the BPU lists, supplier by supplier, the complaints customers sent it. Below are Direct Energy's counts from the last four reports, read Nov. 1, 2026. They cover the whole state and are not adjusted for size, since the BPU shares no customer totals.
| Quarter | All complaints | Residential | Main type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 2025 | 1 | 1 | Marketing |
| Q4 2025 | 2 | 2 | Billing |
| Q1 2026 | 12 | 11 | Marketing |
| Q2 2026 | 1 | 1 | Marketing |
| Total, four quarters | 16 | 15 |
Most of the residential complaints were filed under "marketing", the BPU's label for how a plan was sold. Q1 2026 was the high point. The BPU report does not say why.
What does BBB show about Direct Energy?
BBB is a private nonprofit. It posts complaints but does not rule on each one. On Nov. 1, 2026 its headquarters profile, Direct Energy LP in Houston, showed an F rating and said the company is not BBB accredited. It listed 99 complaints over 3 years. The Iselin, New Jersey profile for Direct Energy Services, LLC, which BBB links to it, also showed an F. The page showed no breakdown by type when we read it. Read the profile and the company's replies yourself.
Who owns Direct Energy?
NRG Energy completed its purchase of Direct Energy from Centrica on Jan. 5, 2021, according to its filing with the SEC. In New Jersey the BPU's list shows Direct Energy Services, LLC, of Princeton, for homes. A second licence, held by Direct Energy Business, LLC, is for commercial and industrial customers only.
What is the price to beat?
An offer from Direct Energy only helps if it comes in under the default. Your utility posts that default as its price to compare. Below it is shown in cents per kWh for the supply part of the bill.
| Utility | Price to compare | In effect since |
|---|---|---|
| PSE&G | 19.79¢ | October 1, 2026 |
| JCP&L | 17.05¢ | October 1, 2026 |
| Atlantic City Electric | 18.16¢ | October 1, 2026 |
Rockland Electric has its own price. See the Rockland Electric guide.
What should I ask Direct Energy before I sign?
- Does the rate stay put until the contract ends, and how long is that?
- Is there a fee for leaving early, and can you leave free at first?
- After the term, does the rate reset to a fixed price or float?
- Does the contract carry licence ESL-0242?
- Never give a caller your account number unless you placed the call.
- Never sign on the doorstep. Call back later.
You can reach the BPU's consumer line at 1-800-624-0241. Our supplier guide walks through checking a company by name.
Put Direct Energy's quote next to other New Jersey plans
Compare plans at my ZIPPartner toolWe get paid if you sign up. You don’t pay more, and it never changes our scores.
Get Direct Energy's price for your address, then test it against your utility's price to compare and read the contract before you sign.
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Questions, answered
Is Direct Energy legit in New Jersey?
The BPU lists it under licence ESL-0242 for home customers, so it may sell here. BBB shows an F rating and no accreditation. Neither fact decides if it fits you. The BPU's line, 1-800-624-0241, can confirm any seller.
How many complaints has the BPU counted about Direct Energy?
16 across the four newest quarterly reports, as read on Nov. 1, 2026. Of those, 15 came from home customers. Without customer totals from the BPU, the figure is a count and not a rate.
Why does BBB list Direct Energy with an F?
On Nov. 1, 2026 BBB showed an F, no accreditation and 99 complaints over 3 years. BBB sets that grade itself, and its profile page gives the reasons.
Is Direct Energy owned by NRG?
NRG Energy, which completed its purchase of Direct Energy from Centrica on Jan. 5, 2021, according to its filing with the SEC.
What are Direct Energy's rates in New Jersey?
We could not see a current price. The state keeps no offer list, and the company shows rates only after an address is entered. Put your own quote in the free tool.
Does Direct Energy have a cancellation fee or contract term in New Jersey?
Its New Jersey contract was out of reach without an address. Get the exit fee and any free-exit period in writing first.
Why does this page have no score?
A score would force New Jersey's data into a Pennsylvania formula. Five sourced checks fit it better, and how we check lists the rules.
Is Direct Energy a good energy company?
It passes 2 of the 3 checks we could make. It holds a New Jersey licence and we found no state action since Nov. 2021, but BBB shows an F and no accreditation, and the BPU logged 16 complaints in four quarters. Price and terms are not published without an address. Read the contract first.
Who is the cheapest electricity provider in NJ?
It depends on your utility and your address, and the state posts no supplier price list. Start from your utility's price to compare, collect a few quotes and run each through the tool above. Our cheapest electricity in NJ guide explains what beating it takes.
Is Direct Energy a scam?
The public records we read do not show a scam, but they show reasons to read the contract closely. Direct Energy holds BPU licence ESL-0242 for homes. BBB lists it with an F and no accreditation, and the BPU counted 16 complaints in four quarters, mostly filed as "marketing," the BPU's label for how a plan was sold.
What do Direct Energy reviews say?
The BBB headquarters profile showed an F rating and 99 complaints over 3 years on Nov. 1, 2026. The BPU counted 16 complaints in four quarters, 15 of them from homes. Neither says who was right, so use them as a guide to what to ask before you sign.
How can I check that Direct Energy is licensed in New Jersey?
Look for licence ESL-0242 on the contract, then call the BPU at 1-800-624-0241. The BPU's active list shows Direct Energy Services, LLC, of Princeton, for homes. A second licence, held by Direct Energy Business, LLC, covers commercial and industrial customers only.
What do you want to do next?
Sources and updates
Sources (5)
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Third Party Supplier active licence list, Sept. 15, 2026: Direct Energy's licence number, name and status.
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Quarterly supplier complaint reports: The complaint counts for Q3 2025 to Q2 2026.
- New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, NJ Power Switch, electric suppliers: The residential listing and the link to each seller's price page.
- Better Business Bureau, Direct Energy LP headquarters profile, Houston: Rating, accreditation status and 3-year complaint count, read Nov. 1, 2026. The Iselin NJ profile for Direct Energy Services, LLC also shows an F.
- NRG Energy, Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1: NRG completes Direct Energy acquisition: The Jan. 5, 2021 closing of NRG's purchase of Direct Energy. The buyer's own filing with the SEC.
Changelog · last updated November 1, 2026 · 1 update
- November 1, 2026: Guide published.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Direct Energy in New Jersey: licence, record, owner and what the state counted", updated November 1, 2026, https://theday.company/nj/direct-energy-nj.
The Day Company is not affiliated with Direct Energy, NRG Energy, Centrica, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the Better Business Bureau, any New Jersey utility or any other electric supplier. Records come from public sources and can change at any time. This page checks Direct Energy against five public rules and does not give it a score. The quote test gives an estimate, not a quote, an offer or a promise of savings. Company names are trademarks of their owners. Our plan finder is Power HQ, operated by Blitz Ventures Inc. (doing business as EnergyBot), which holds New Jersey Board of Public Utilities licence EA-0519.