Bill Text: NJ A2088 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires electric public utilities operating or providing service to certain LED street lights to charge customers only for actual costs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee [A2088 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A2088-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JAMES J. KENNEDY
District 22 (Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires electric public utilities operating or providing service to certain LED street lights to charge customers only for actual costs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning certain street lights and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Street lights that use light-emitting diode (LED) technology are the most efficient means to light our streets and public spaces because of their energy efficiency, using 15 percent of the energy of an incandescent bulb while generating more light per watt and longevity with bulbs lasting up to 100,000 hours;
b. Street lighting can account for as much as 40 percent of a municipality's electric bill; however, studies show that street lighting costs can be reduced by as much as 65 percent when switched to LED street lights, and even more if advanced lighting controls are incorporated;
c. Maintenance costs associated with LED street lights can also contribute to savings because of their longevity and overall diminished maintenance requirements when compared to traditional street lights; and
d. It is in the public interest to encourage the use of LED street lights to promote energy efficiency and reduce public street lighting costs by requiring electric public utilities to charge for only the cost of installation, operation, and service to LED street lights used by public entities.
2. As used in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
"Board" means the Board of Public Utilities or any successor agency.
"Electric public utility" or "utility" means a public utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that distributes electricity to end users within this State.
"Government entity" means a State, county, or municipal government entity or a public school district.
"LED street light" means a street light that uses LED technology.
"LED technology" means a light-emitting diode that is a two-lead semiconductor light source.
3. a. An electric public utility shall include in a tariff for street lighting service to a LED street light owned by the utility, for use along a public street, road, highway, or other property of a government entity, a charge for the installation and operation of a LED street light that reflects solely the actual costs of installing and operating the LED street light. Within 60 days of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), an electric public utility shall submit to the Board of Public Utilities, for board approval, a revised tariff that reflects the actual costs of installing and operating those utility-owned LED street lights within the utility's service territory. The board shall approve the revised tariff within 60 days of receiving it.
b. An electric public utility shall include in any tariff for street lighting service to a LED street light owned by a government entity, for use along a public street, road, highway, or other property of a government entity, a charge for the operation of the LED street light that reflects solely the actual costs of providing electric service to the LED street light. Within 60 days of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), an electric public utility shall submit to the Board of Public Utilities, for board approval, a revised tariff that reflects the actual costs of providing electric service to those government entity-owned LED street lights within the utility's service territory. The board shall approve the revised tariff within 60 days of receiving it.
c. If an electric public utility petitions the board to increase its rates or charges, the electric public utility's rate base may include costs for LED street lights owned by the utility, pursuant to subsection a. of this section, that reflect solely the cost of installing and operating those LED street lights.
4. This act shall take effect immediately, but shall remain inoperative for 60 days following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires an electric public utility (utility) to include in any tariff for street lighting service to a (light emitting diode) LED street light owned by the utility for use along a public street, road, highway, or property of a State, county, or municipal government entity or a public school district, a charge for the installation and operation that reflects solely the actual costs of installing and operating the LED street light for those public entities. Within 60 days of the effective date of the bill, the utility is to submit to the Board of Public Utilities (board) a revised tariff that reflects the actual costs of installing and operating those utility-owned LED street lights within the utility's service territory. The board is to approve the revised tariff within 60 days of receiving it. For a LED street light owned by a State, county, or municipal government entity, or a public school district, the charge is to reflect solely the actual costs of providing electric service to those LED street lights. If a utility petitions the board to increase its rates or charges, the utility's rate base may include costs for LED street lights owned by the utility that reflect solely the cost of installing and operating those LED street lights.
