New Jersey-2014-A1228-Introduced

An Act concerning electric distribution system reliability standards.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. The Board of Public Utilities shall study and prepare and submit, within six months of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), to the Governor and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), a written report which shall make findings which shall include the board's determination of whether the State's electric distribution system is maintained and operated by the electric public utilities in a manner that meets standards adopted by the board, and an assessment of the reliability State's electric distribution system in consideration of other applicable standards. The board's report shall also provide recommendations for improvements in reliability to the State's electric distribution system.

b. In conducting the study, the board shall:

(1) assess each electric public utility's compliance with the standards adopted by the board pursuant to (a) R.S.48:2-23 authorizing the board to adopt standards requiring that electric public utilities furnish safe, adequate, and proper service, (b) section 57 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-96) requiring the board to adopt standards for the inspection, maintenance, repair, and replacement of the distribution equipment and facilities of electric public utilities and standards for the operation, reliability, and safety of such equipment and facilities during periods of emergency or disaster, and (c) any other law, rule, regulation, or order concerning the reliability of the electric distribution system in this State; and

(2) conduct an assessment of the reliability of the State's electric distribution system in consideration of other applicable standards to include (a) a comparison of the performance of this State's distribution system as compared to that of other states, (b) an assessment of electric public utility restoration efforts in response to severe weather events and natural disasters, (c) the capability of the categories of utility poles located in the State to support distribution infrastructure during severe weather events and natural disasters, and (d) the implementation of applicable requirements of the National Electrical Code, the National Electrical Safety Code, the American National Standards Institute, and other applicable national and international standards with respect to the State's electric distribution infrastructure.

c. For the purposes of this section, "electric distribution system" means that portion of an electric system which delivers electricity from transformation points on the transmission system to points of connection at the premises of electric public utility customers, and "electric public utility" means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that transmits and distributes electricity to end users within this State.

2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon submission of the report pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

STATEMENT

This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study and prepare and submit, within six months of the effective date of the bill, to the Governor and to the Legislature, a written report which shall make findings which shall include the BPU's determination of whether the State's electric distribution system is maintained and operated by the electric public utilities in a manner that meets BPU standard and an assessment of the reliability State's electric distribution system through an application of other applicable standards. The BPU is also directed to provide recommendations to improve reliability.

In conducting the study, the BPU is directed to:

(1) assess each electric public utility's compliance with the standards adopted by the BPU pursuant to statute requiring that electric public utilities (a) furnish safe, adequate, and proper service, and (b) comply with standards concerning the inspection, maintenance, repair, and replacement of the distribution equipment and facilities of electric public utilities and standards for the operation, reliability, and safety of such equipment and facilities during periods of emergency or disaster, and (c) any other law, rule, regulation, or order concerning the reliability New Jersey's electric distribution system; and

(2) conduct an assessment of the reliability of the State's electric distribution system through in consideration of other applicable standards to include (a) a comparison of the performance of this State's distribution system as compared to that of other states, (b) an assessment of electric public utility restoration efforts in response to severe weather events and natural disasters, (c) the capability of the categories of utility poles located in the State to support distribution infrastructure during severe weather events and natural disasters, and (d) the implementation of applicable requirements of the National Electrical Code, the National Electrical Safety Code, the American National Standards Institute, and other applicable national and international standards with respect to the New Jersey's electric distribution infrastructure.