reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 3A - DISCONTINUANCE AND RESTORATION OF SERVICE › Section 14:3-3A.1 - Basis of discontinuance of service

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The utility
				shall have the right to suspend or curtail or discontinue service for any of
				the following reasons:
1. For the purpose of
				making permanent or temporary repairs, changes or improvements in any part of
				its system;
2. For compliance in
				good faith with any governmental order or directive, regardless of whether such
				order or directive subsequently may be held to be invalid;
3. For nonpayment of a valid bill due for
				service furnished at a present or previous location, in accordance with
				14:3-3A.2;
4. For nonpayment of a deposit, in accordance
				with 14:3-3A.9; or
5. For any of the following acts or omissions
				on the part of the customer:
i. Refusal of
				reasonable access to the customer's premises in accordance with
				14:3-3.6;
ii. Tampering with any facility of the
				utility;
iii. Fraudulent
				representation in relation to the use of service;
iv. Customer moving from the premises, unless
				the customer requests that service be continued;
v. Providing a utility's service to others
				without approval of the utility;
vi. Refusal to contract for service where
				such contract is required;
vii.
				Connecting and operating in such manner as to produce disturbing effects on the
				service of the utility or other customers;
viii. Failure of the customer to comply with
				any reasonable standard terms and conditions contained in the utility's
				tariff;
ix. Where the condition of
				the customer's installation presents a hazard to life or property; or
x. Failure of customer to repair any faulty
				facility of the customer.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 3A - DISCONTINUANCE AND RESTORATION OF SERVICE › Section 14:3-3A.2 - Discontinuance for nonpayment

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Except for
				residential telephone service that is covered at
				N.J.A.C.
				14:3-3A.8, and subject to the limits below in
				this section, a public utility may discontinue service for nonpayment only if
				one or both of the following criteria are met, and shall not discontinue
				service for nonpayment for any other reason:
1. The customer's arrearage is more than $
				200.00; and/or
2. The customer's
				account is more than three months in arrears.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 3A - DISCONTINUANCE AND RESTORATION OF SERVICE › Section 14:3-3A.3 - Notice of discontinuance for nonpayment

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Before
				discontinuing a customer's service for nonpayment, a utility shall notify the
				customer that the bill has not been paid and that the service will be
				discontinued, in accordance with this section.
(b) Before sending a notice of discontinuance
				to the customer for nonpayment of an outstanding past due bill, a utility shall
				have allowed the customer an initial period of at least 20 days to pay the bill
				after the original postmark date of the outstanding bill or electronic
				transmission date for customers on electronic billing, except for a water
				utility customer with fire protection or multi-use service pursuant to
				N.J.A.C.
				14:3-3A.4(j). Each notice of
				discontinuance shall meet all of the following criteria:
1. The notice shall be in writing;
2. The written notice shall be sent by first
				class mail, apart from the bill and as a separate mailing. However, should a
				utility find that compliance with this rule would result in financial harm
				and/or would negatively impact the utility's daily operations, the utility may
				file a written request for exemption with the Secretary of the Board, setting
				forth the basis for such request; and
3. The notice shall be postmarked no earlier
				than 20 days after the original postmark date of the outstanding bill. In the
				absence of a postmark for the outstanding past due bill, the burden of proving
				the original mailing date of the bill shall be upon the utility.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 3A - DISCONTINUANCE AND RESTORATION OF SERVICE › Section 14:3-3A.4 - Additional notice requirements for discontinuance of residential and special customers

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The notice requirements in this section
				shall apply in addition to the requirements in
				N.J.A.C.
				14:3-3A.3.
(b) Each public utility shall annually notify
				all residential customers that, upon request, notice of discontinuance of
				service will be sent to a designated third party, as well as to the
				customer.
(c) Each public utility
				shall make good faith efforts to determine which of their residential customers
				are over 65 years of age, and shall make good faith efforts to notify such
				customers of discontinuance of service by telephone in addition to notice by
				regular mail. This effort may consist of an appropriate inquiry set forth on
				the notice informing customers that they may designate a third party to receive
				notice of discontinuance. This provision shall not apply to utilities that make
				good faith efforts to contact all residential customers by telephone prior to
				discontinuance and file with the Board a statement setting forth such
				procedure.
(d) Electric, gas,
				water, and wastewater utilities shall solicit information from their
				residential customers quarterly, at a minimum, in order to determine the
				presence of any life-sustaining equipment on the customer's premises. This
				subsection does not apply to telecommunications public utilities.
(e) All utilities shall develop customer
				outreach plans that educate the public and customers on the procedures and
				guidelines to qualify and apply for medical certification status to be
				distributed to all customers quarterly.
(f) Each public utility shall provide written
				notice to the Board's Division of Customer Assistance at least 14 business days
				prior to the discontinuance of service to a hospital, nursing home, assisted
				care facility, public or private school, college or university, or airport or
				other major transportation facility including, but not limited to, railroad,
				bus and subway facilities. The notification shall include:
1. The name of the customer of
				record;
2. The location of the
				premises;
3. The amount
				owed;
4. A statement of account
				including payment history;
5. The
				method of and attempts made for negotiation and resolution; and 6. The
				scheduled discontinuance date.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 3A - DISCONTINUANCE AND RESTORATION OF SERVICE › Section 14:3-3A.5 - Winter Termination Program

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Electric, gas,
				water, and wastewater utilities shall not discontinue service during the period
				from November 15 through March 15 (referred to in this section as the "heating
				season"), unless otherwise ordered by the Board, to those residential customers
				who demonstrate at the time of the intended termination that they are:
1. Recipients of benefits under the Lifeline
				Credit Program;
2. Recipients of
				benefits under the Federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), or certified
				as eligible therefore under standards set by the New Jersey Department of Human
				Services;
3. Recipients of
				Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF);
4. Recipients of Federal Supplemental
				Security Income (SSI);
5.
				Recipients of Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled
				(PAAD);
6. Recipients of General
				Assistance (GA) benefits;
7.
				Recipients of the Universal Service Fund (USF);
8. Applicants of the Low Income Household
				Water Assistance Program or any other State, local, or utility program that
				provides assistance or discounted rates specifically to help eligible customers
				pay wastewater or water bills that may exist at that time; or
9. Residential customers who are unable to
				pay their utility bills because of circumstances beyond their control. Such
				circumstances shall include, but shall not be limited to, unemployment,
				illness, medically related expenses, recent death of an immediate family
				member, and any other circumstances, which might cause financial hardship.
				These residential customers shall be permitted to self-certify to the utility
				or Division of Customer Assistance of the Board of an inability to pay their
				public utility bill.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 3A - DISCONTINUANCE AND RESTORATION OF SERVICE › Section 14:3-3A.6 - Discontinuance of service to tenants

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Electric, gas,
				water, and wastewater public utilities shall make every reasonable attempt to
				determine when a landlord-tenant relationship exists at premises being
				serviced. If such a relationship is known to exist, and if the tenants are not
				the customers of record but are end-users, as these terms are defined at
				N.J.A.C.
				14:3-1.1, discontinuance of service is
				prohibited unless the utility has, notwithstanding the time periods at
				N.J.A.C.
				14:3-3A.5, given a 30-day written notice to
				the owner of the premises or to the customer of record to whom the last
				preceding bill was rendered. Further, the utilities shall use their best
				efforts to determine the names and addresses of each tenant, in order to
				provide such notice, for example, through mailings to landlords requesting a
				list of tenants. The utility shall use its best efforts to provide copies of
				the discontinuance notice to all tenants. In addition, the utility shall
				provide the tenant(s) with a 30-day written notice, which shall be
				hand-delivered, mailed, or posted in a conspicuous area of the premises and in
				the common areas of multiple family premises.
(b) If a utility uses posting as the method
				of notice, each utility shall use its best efforts to also place a copy of the
				notice on each tenant's car windshield or under the door of each tenant's
				dwelling. In the case of tenants of single- and two-family dwellings, each
				tenant shall also be provided with a 30-day individual notice. Each utility
				shall offer the tenant(s) continued service to be billed to the tenant(s)
				unless the utility demonstrates that such billing is not feasible. The
				continuation of service to a tenant shall not be conditioned upon payment by
				the tenant of any outstanding bills due upon the account of any other person.
				The utility shall not be held to the requirements of this provision if the
				existence of a landlord-tenant relationship could not be reasonably
				ascertained.
(c) When a
				landlord-tenant relationship is known to exist, an electric, gas, water, and
				wastewater public utility, at the landlord's request, shall send written notice
				to the landlord that a tenant's service is being voluntarily or involuntarily
				discontinued.
(d) When a
				landlord-tenant relationship is known to exist, an electric, gas, water, and
				wastewater public utility, at the landlord's request, shall place the service
				in the landlord's name if the tenant's service is being voluntarily or
				involuntarily discontinued.
(e) To
				participate in this program, the landlord shall complete a form provided by the
				utility, indicating a choice as specified at (c) or (d) above.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 3A - DISCONTINUANCE AND RESTORATION OF SERVICE › Section 14:3-3A.7 - Notification to municipalities of discontinuance of residential gas or electric service

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) All electric
				and gas public utilities shall annually notify all municipalities located
				within their service area that, upon request, they, and/or any enforcing agency
				enforcing the Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. 5:18) within the municipality, will
				be sent a daily list of the residential customer of record and premises located
				within the municipality at which gas or electric service was discontinued
				involuntarily on the preceding day.
(b) The list referred to in (a) above shall
				contain all of the following information, as applicable:
1. The name and address of every residential
				customer of record whose service was discontinued on the previous day for
				reasons other than at the customer's request and whose service remains
				discontinued as of 8:00 A.M. on the day the list is sent. The list shall also
				set forth the address of the premises where service was discontinued. Included
				on the list shall be those customers whose service has been discontinued for
				reasons such as non-payment of bills, the absence of a customer of record, the
				existence of an unsafe condition, and theft of service. These examples shall
				not be construed as being exclusive;
2. If there is no customer of record, this
				fact shall be shown by indicating "unknown" next to the address of the
				premises;
3. If the reason for the
				discontinuance of service is the existence of an unsafe condition, this fact
				shall be indicated next to the address of the premises. All other reasons for
				the discontinuance of service shall not be included on the list;
4. Those customers whose service has been
				discontinued on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday and whose service remains
				discontinued as of 8:00 A.M. on the following Monday shall be included on the
				list sent on that Monday. If a Monday falls on a holiday on which the utility's
				commercial offices are closed, the list shall be sent on the next regular
				workday. Pursuant to
				14:3-3A.1(c),
				public utilities shall not discontinue residential service for nonpayment on
				Friday, Saturday, Sunday or on the day before a holiday or on a holiday on
				which either the utility's commercial offices or the Board's offices are
				closed;
5. If none of the customers
				within the municipality has service discontinued as of 8:00 A.M. on the day the
				list is to be sent, the utility is not required to send a list or to otherwise
				notify the municipality that there were no discontinuances. The next list
				subsequently sent shall state the date on which the last list was
				sent;
6. The date of discontinuance
				of service for each customer on the list; and
7. Specification of whether gas and/or
				electric service was discontinued for each customer on the list.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 3A - DISCONTINUANCE AND RESTORATION OF SERVICE › Section 14:3-3A.9 - Basis for restoration

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Service shall
				be restored within 12 hours upon proper application when:
1. All of the conditions under which such
				service was discontinued are corrected; and
2. Payment of all charges due is received at
				the utility, or at an authorized payment center and the utility has received
				notice of the payment.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 4 - METERS › Section 14:3-4.1 - Ownership of meters and equipment

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) For each
				customer that is supplied utility service, other than telephone service, on a
				measured basis, the utility shall provide a meter, and such other equipment and
				service appliances as are specified in the utility's Board-approved
				tariff.
(b) The determination of
				whether the customer or the utility bears the cost of purchase and installation
				of meters, equipment and service appliances provided by the utility under (a)
				above shall be governed by the Board's main extension rules at N.J.A.C. 14:3-8
				and the utility's Board-approved tariff.
(c) Regardless of who provides or pays for a
				meter, service appliance, hardware or other equipment, the determination of
				whether the customer or the utility owns and maintains the equipment after its
				installation shall be governed by N.J.A.C. 14:3-8.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 4 - METERS › Section 14:3-4.2 - Location of meters

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) The
				installation of meters and connections shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C.
				14:5, Electric Service; 14:6, Gas Service; and 14:9, Water and Wastewater; and
				standard practice.
(b) Meters
				installed indoors shall be located in a clean, dry, safe place not subject to
				great variations in temperature and on a support, which is free from
				appreciable vibration. Meters installed outdoors shall be protected from the
				weather and from vehicular traffic, and shall be designed for outdoor
				use.
(c) Meters shall be so located
				as to be easily accessible for reading, testing and making necessary
				adjustments and repairs. Meters shall be placed in a location where the visits
				of the meter reader or tester will cause minimum inconvenience to the customer
				or to the utility.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 4 - METERS › Section 14:3-4.3 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter,
				  shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
				  otherwise. Additional definitions that apply to this subchapter can be found at
				  14:3-1.1.
"Bell prover" means a device that measures the volume of a
				  gas using a calibrated bell placed in a bath of oil or water.
"Meter testing equipment" means equipment and facilities used
				  to test the accuracy of meters that measure a utility customer's utility usage.
				  This term includes equipment and facilities used to test customer meters
				  directly, as well as equipment and facilities used to test equipment that is
				  then used to test customer meters.
"NJ Weights and Measures" means the Office of Weights and
				  Measures in the Division of Consumer Affairs in the New Jersey Department of
				  Law and Public Safety.
"Portable meter testing equipment" means meter testing
				  equipment that is designed to, and can be, moved from location to location
				  without the need to be calibrated to ensure accuracy each time it is
				  moved.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 4 - METERS › Section 14:3-4.4 - Testing of utility meter testing equipment

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) A utility shall
				ensure that its meter testing equipment is tested and either sealed or
				certified in accordance with this section at each of the following events or
				time intervals:
1. Each time the equipment is
				moved, except if the equipment is portable meter testing equipment;
2. Each time the security seal on the
				equipment is broken;
3. Each time
				the equipment is cleaned, handled or maintained in any way that could affect
				its accuracy; and
4. At the
				following time intervals:
i. For all meter
				testing equipment, except bell provers used for ensuring accuracy of gas
				meters, every 12 months; and
ii.
				For bell provers, every five years.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 4 - METERS › Section 14:3-4.5 - Meter tests at a customer's request

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each utility
				shall, without charge, make a test of the accuracy of a meter upon request of a
				customer, provided such customer does not make a request for test more
				frequently than once in 12 months.
(b) A report giving results of such tests
				shall be made to the customer, and a complete record of such tests shall be
				kept on file at the office of the utility in accordance with
				N.J.A.C.
				14:3-4.9 Meter records.
(c) When a billing dispute is known to exist,
				the electric, gas or water utility shall, prior to removing the meter, advise
				the customer that the customer may have the meter tested by the utility or may
				have the Board witness a testing of the meter by the utility, and that in any
				event the customer may have the test witnessed by a third party.
(d) A meter test arising from a billing
				dispute may be appropriate in instances which include, but are not limited to,
				unexplained increased consumption, crossed meters, consumption while account is
				vacant or any other instance where the meter's accuracy might be an issue in a
				bill dispute.
(e) Upon application
				by any customer to the Board, a Board inspector shall test the customer's
				meter. Such test shall be made as soon as practicable after receipt of the
				application for the test, and Board staff shall notify the customer and the
				utility as to the time and place of such test.
(f) The Board shall charge a fee of $ 5.00
				for a meter test, payable at the time application is made for the test. This
				fee is to be retained by the Board if the meter is found to be slow or correct
				within the allowable limits. If the meter is found to be fast beyond the
				allowable limits, that is, more than two percent, or in the case of water
				meters, more than one and one half percent, the utility shall reimburse the
				customer for the test fee paid.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 4 - METERS › Section 14:3-4.6 - Adjustment of charges for meter error

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Whenever a
				meter is found to be registering fast by more than two percent, or in the case
				of water meters, more than one and one half percent, an adjustment of charges
				shall be made in accordance with this section. No adjustment shall be made if a
				meter is found to be registering less than 100 percent of the service provided,
				except under (d) below.
(b) If the
				date when the meter first became inaccurate is known, the adjustment shall be
				determined as follows:
1. Determine the
				percentage by which the meter was in error at the time of the test, adjusted to
				100 percent. This figure is not the amount in excess of the tolerance allowed
				under (a) above, but is the difference between 100 percent accuracy and the
				actual accuracy of the meter. For example, if the meter was found to be three
				percent fast, this percentage is three percent;
2. Determine the total charges for metered
				service that accrued during the entire period that the meter was in error;
				and
3. The amount of the adjustment
				shall be the percentage determined under (b)1 above, applied to the charges
				determined under (b)2 above.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 4 - METERS › Section 14:3-4.7 - Meter test reports and records

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each utility
				shall provide the Board with summaries of all meter tests. Each utility having
				500 or more meters shall report quarterly. Utilities having less than 500
				meters shall report annually. Blank forms on which reports are to be made will
				be furnished by the Board on its website at
http://nj.gov/bpu/
.
(b) If a utility uses a laboratory other than
				NJ Weights and Measures to certify its meter testing equipment in accordance
				with 14:3-4.4(b), the
				utility shall include in its annual report a copy of the letter required under
				14:3-4.4(b)2.
(c) Complete records on all utility meters
				shall be kept in the utility's office and shall be available for examination at
				any time by inspectors of the Board. Such records shall include the following
				information:
1. The name of the meter's
				manufacturer, and the meter's unique ID or serial number, assigned by either
				the utility or the manufacturer;
2.
				Type, size, and so forth;
3. Date
				and location of each installation, and dates of removal;
4. The accuracy of the meter at each
				test;
5. A record of the tests of
				each meter, the date and results of the tests, and any action taken based on
				test results; and
6. The results of
				the last test of the meter, performed after the meter's final use and prior to
				its retirement from service.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 4 - METERS › Section 14:3-4.8 - Meter replacement

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) A utility shall
				not charge for replacing a meter where such replacement is requested by a
				customer, unless the meter has been in use for less than two years. If the
				meter has been in use for less than two years, the utility may assess a charge,
				which shall not exceed the cost of making the replacement.
(b) A utility shall not charge a customer for
				replacing a meter for any of the following reasons:
1. Testing purposes;
2. Replacement that is necessitated by a
				change in service characteristics; or
3. Replacement of a defective meter, unless
				the defect is due to the negligence of the customer, in which case a utility
				may charge the customer for the cost of making the replacement.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 5 - CONTACTING THE UTILITY › Section 14:3-5.1 - Location of offices

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each utility
				shall maintain an office in its New Jersey service area, the current location
				of which shall be furnished to the Board's Division of Customer Assistance,
				where applications for service, complaints, service inquiries, bill payments,
				and so forth, will be received.
(b)
				Each utility shall annually provide the Board with a list of its in-person
				business offices, setting forth the location of and functions performed at each
				office.
(c) The utility shall file
				written notice with the Board of any proposed change in the functions of one or
				more of these offices at least 14 business days prior to the change being
				made.
(d) Each utility shall
				furnish the Board with the current location of the offices where any
				information that the utility is legally required to provide to customers,
				governmental bodies, other utilities and contractors is available.
(e) In the event that a utility desires to
				close or relocate an office, the utility shall comply with the following
				procedures:
1. At least 60 days prior to the
				closing or relocation of an office described in (a) or (b) above, a utility
				shall apply for approval with the Board, demonstrating that such closure or
				relocation is not unreasonable and will not unduly prejudice the public
				interest, and setting forth the means, upon Board approval of the application,
				by which customers and other interested parties will be adequately notified of
				the closing or relocation and alternatives available in the case of a closed
				office.
2. The utility shall
				simultaneously notify its customers and the clerk of each affected municipality
				of the pending application for permission to relocate or close the subject
				office by means of posting notice at the office location and, within three days
				of application, by placing notice of the office closing or relocation in the
				newspaper(s) serving the affected area.
i. The
				notice shall inform customers of their right to present to the Board, in
				writing, any objections they may have to the office closure or relocation;
				and
ii. The notice shall specify a
				date certain for submission of comments which date shall not be less than 20
				nor more than 30 days after publication and posting.
3. An office shall not be closed or relocated
				until the utility has been informed, in writing, that the Board has approved
				such request.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 5 - CONTACTING THE UTILITY › Section 14:3-5.2 - Contacting the utility

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each utility
				shall make itself accessible to customers and Board staff by maintaining the
				following:
1. A toll free emergency telephone
				number at which a customer service representative can be reached quickly at any
				time of day or night, seven days per week;
2. A toll-free non-emergency telephone number
				at which a customer service representative can be reached during normal
				business hours;
3. A utility
				emergency contact, who is available to Board staff by telephone at any time of
				day or night, seven days per week. The contact information for this person
				shall be submitted along with the utility's annual financial and operations
				report under
				14:3-6.3;
4. A control room emergency contact telephone
				number, through which Board staff can speak directly with the utility operating
				personnel who monitor, supervise and control the function of the utility's
				facilities and personnel on a minute-by-minute basis;
5. A regulatory affairs representative, who
				is available to Board staff by telephone during normal business hours, and who
				will do the following:
i. Assist staff in
				pursuing investigations on behalf of the Board and/or the Division of Consumer
				Affairs in the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety; and
ii. Facilitate the resolution of billing
				complaints and other problems; and
6. An internet website and e-mail address
				through which Board staff and customers can contact the utility for
				non-emergency matters.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 6 - RECORDS AND REPORTING › Section 14:3-6.1 - General provisions for records and reporting

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each public
				utility shall notify the Board, upon request, of the office or offices at which
				the records required by this chapter are kept. These records shall be open for
				examination by the Board's inspectors upon reasonable notice during normal
				business hours.
(b) Each utility
				shall keep a record of each customer's account in a manner that will permit
				computation of the customer's bill for any billing period occurring within six
				years, except that telephone utilities shall keep customer account records in
				accordance with the Board's telecommunications rules at N.J.A.C. 14:10. A
				utility may choose to keep records longer than six years in order to facilitate
				compliance with the rules regarding adjustment of charges for meter error at
				14:3-4.3.
(c) The following provisions in this chapter
				require a utility to report to the Board or another entity:
1.
										14:3-3.7 requires reporting to the
				Board regarding service interruptions;
2.
										14:3-3A.7 requires reporting to
				the Board regarding notice to municipalities of residential service
				discontinuances;
3.
										14:3-4.5 requires reporting to the
				customer;
4.
										14:3-4.6 requires reporting to the
				Board regarding meter testing and results;
5.
										14:3-6.3 requires reporting to the
				Board regarding finances and operations;
6.
										14:3-6.4 and 6.5 require reporting
				to the Board regarding accidents;
7.
										14:3-6.6 requires reporting to the
				Board regarding the telephone systems operated by the utility;
8.
										14:3-6.7 requires reporting to the
				Board regarding suspicious actions relating to utility functions and
				equipment;
9.
										14:3-7.8 requires reporting to
				tenant-customers, landlords, beneficiaries and the Board regarding diversions
				of service; and
10.
										14:3-10.1 requires reporting to
				the Board regarding expenditures under a Targeted Revitalization Incentive
				Program (TRIP).
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 6 - RECORDS AND REPORTING › Section 14:3-6.2 - Plant and operating records

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each regulated
				entity shall maintain, readily available to Board staff, adequate maps and/or
				records reflecting the latest available information and data concerning the
				size, type, location and date of installation of its major units of
				property.
(b) Each regulated entity
				owning or operating pumping, treatment facilities or power stations or other
				production facilities for the purpose of furnishing service to customers shall
				keep for a period of one year a record of the time of starting and shutting
				down of all principal units of such equipment, as well as a record of pertinent
				related operating statistics. Each such utility shall maintain and keep in
				operating condition one or more graphic recording devices at central points
				where continuous records shall be made of the pressure or voltage at that
				point.
(c) Each utility shall keep
				for a period of one year, a record of complaints it has received in regard to
				service, including complaints regarding diversions of service, which shall
				include the name and address of the customer, the date, the nature of complaint
				and the disposition or resolution of the complaint.
(d) Each regulated entity shall keep detailed
				records of all contributions, deposits, refunds, and expenditures on
				extensions, as defined at
				14:3-8.2, with sufficient detail
				to enable the regulated entity to demonstrate compliance with this chapter to
				the Board.
(e) The regulated entity
				shall submit the records required under this section to Board staff upon
				request.
(f) Each regulated entity
				shall maintain, for each calendar year, records of the amount of trench, which
				it has shared with other regulated entity lines or cables.
(g) Except for cable television companies,
				including telecommunications companies that have obtained a system-wide
				franchise from the Board in accordance with N.J.A.C. 14:18-14, each public
				utility shall maintain, for each calendar year, records of the number of lots,
				and the number of residential housing units and nonresidential buildings for
				which extensions were provided. The regulated entity shall identify whether
				these are in designated growth areas or areas not designated for
				growth.
(h) Except for cable
				television companies, including telecommunications companies that have obtained
				a system-wide franchise from the Board in accordance with N.J.A.C. 14:18-14,
				each public utility shall determine whether an application for an extension, as
				defined at
				14:3-8.2, will serve an area
				designated for growth or an area not designated for growth.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 6 - RECORDS AND REPORTING › Section 14:3-6.3 - Financial and operations reports

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Every utility
				shall file with the Board on or before March 31 of each year, or on or before
				the due date noted on the report form, a summary of its finances and operations
				for the preceding calendar year. The summary shall be submitted on forms
				available from the Board's Division of Audits at (973) 648-4450 and shall
				include the emergency utility contact information required under
				14:3-5.2(a)3.
(b) In special instances utilities may be
				required to submit reports quarterly and/or monthly as directed by Board
				staff.
(c) A utility may request
				the Board's Secretary for an extension of up to 30 days for the filing of the
				report required in (a) above. The request shall state the reason for the
				extension.
(d) Each additional
				30-day extension, after an initial extension granted under (c) above, shall
				require the submission of a separate request under (c) above.
(e) Should the Board Secretary deem it
				appropriate to deny a request for the extension of time for filing the report,
				the utility may petition for the request to be brought before the Board for
				final consideration.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 6 - RECORDS AND REPORTING › Section 14:3-6.4 - Accidents-initial reporting

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each utility
				shall notify the Board's Division of Reliability and Security of any reportable
				accident immediately, and in no event later than two hours after the utility
				learns of the accident.
(b) A
				reportable accident is an accident that is related to utility equipment or
				operations, other than a motor vehicle accident that does not create a service
				interruption, which accident results in one or more of the following
				circumstances:
1. Death of a person;
2. Serious disabling or incapacitating
				injuries to persons, including employees of the utility or its
				contractors;
3. Damage to the
				property of the utility, which materially affects its service to the
				public;
4. Damage to the property
				of others amounting to more than $ 5,000; and/or
5. Any accidental ignition of natural
				gas.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 6 - RECORDS AND REPORTING › Section 14:3-6.5 - Accidents - follow-up reporting

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) After the
				initial accident reporting required under
				14:3-6.4, a utility shall provide
				a follow-up report of each reportable accident within 15 days after the
				accident.
(b) The follow-up
				accident report shall include all of the information required by the sample
				accident reporting form available on the Board's website at
http://www.state.nj.us/bpu/divisions/reliability
.
				The form shall require basic identifying and descriptive information concerning
				the accident, its causes and consequences, the extent of damage and/or
				injuries, if any, and persons involved; and shall also include corrective
				measures the utility plans or has taken and preventive measures the utility has
				taken or will take to avoid similar accidents in the future.
(c) If at the time of the submission of the
				follow-up accident report the utility is unable to state the corrective
				measures taken or make recommendations to avoid a recurrence of the accident,
				the utility shall within 30 days of the date of the accident file an amended
				report, which shall set forth the aforementioned corrective measures and
				recommendations.
(d) Accident
				reports may be used by the Board in determining what safety practices should be
				recommended. In a proceeding before the Board, accident reports shall be
				admitted in evidence at the discretion of the Board.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 6 - RECORDS AND REPORTING › Section 14:3-6.6 - Notice of significant natural gas events

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) In addition to
				all other applicable reporting requirements in this subchapter, each gas
				utility shall notify the Board's Division of Reliability and Security
				immediately, and in no event later than two hours after the utility learns of
				any significant natural gas event, as defined at (b) below, occurring in
				connection with the operation of the gas utility's plant, property or
				facilities within the State.
(b) A
				"significant natural gas event," as used in this section, means any occurrence
				that:
1. Meets the definition of an
				"incident" under the regulations of the United States Department of
				Transportation at
				49
				CFR §
											191.3, which is incorporated
				herein by reference, as amended and supplemented; and
2. Is related to equipment owned by, or
				operations conducted by, a public utility that is subject to this
				chapter.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 6 - RECORDS AND REPORTING › Section 14:3-6.7 - Reporting suspicious acts

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Each public
				utility shall report to the Board within six hours of becoming aware of the
				occurrence of any of the following incidents:
1. Theft of a marked public utility vehicle,
				identification document, badge or uniform(s) bearing the public utility's
				logo;
2. Forced entry to any
				utility facility, or entry achieved by deception;
3. Unauthorized photography or videotaping of
				any utility facility;
4. Extensive
				note-taking, or audio recording, regarding any utility facility; and
5. Intentional damage to any utility
				facilities or equipment. This does not include vehicle accidents, automobile
				collisions with utility poles, damage to underground facilities by an excavator
				or other third party, which is reported in accordance with other Board rules,
				or routine vandalism, such as graffiti or vandalism to utility
				vehicles.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 7 - BILLS AND PAYMENTS FOR SERVICE › Section 14:3-7.2 - Form of bill for metered service

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) This section
				applies only to a utility that provides metered service.
(b) Unless a utility has been specifically
				relieved of so doing by order of the Board, a bill for metered service shall
				show the following:
1. The meter readings at
				the beginning and end of the billing period;
2. The dates on which the meter is
				read;
3. The number and kind of
				units measured;
4. Identification
				of the applicable rate schedule. If the applicable rates are not shown, the
				bill shall carry a statement to the effect that the applicable rate will be
				furnished upon request;
5. The
				gross and/or net amount of the bill;
6. If the utility uses gross and net billing,
				the date on which payment must be made to qualify for the net billing or
				discount;
7. A distinctive marking
				to indicate the method used to calculate the bill; for example, electronic
				readings, estimated billing, budget billing, or the index of a remote reading
				device. In addition, the utility may also provide a web address and telephone
				number where the customer can obtain a description of the method
				used;
8. An explanation or
				statement of any conversion from meter reading to billing units or any other
				calculations or factors used in determining the bill;
9. For each Class A water utility and each
				wastewater utility that meets the revenue threshold of a Class A water utility
				subject to the Board's jurisdiction, sufficient information to reflect the
				estimated amount of money in that individual bill, which is collected for the
				gross receipts and franchise taxes pursuant to
				54:30A-54. The following language
				is suggested as a model statement to be indicated on the bill: "Approximately
				13% of $ _____ of your current period charges reflect the average gross
				receipts and franchises taxes which are paid to the State of New Jersey and
				distributed to New Jersey municipalities."; and
10. For each electric and gas utility, a
				statement of all applicable taxes imposed upon and included in the cost of the
				energy provided to the customer. The following language is suggested as a model
				statement to be included on the bill: "Under applicable tax law, the State
				sales and use tax, corporate business tax, and Transitional Energy Facility
				Assessment are imposed upon the energy which you have used. To obtain the exact
				amount of tax included in your billing, please contact the utility at the
				telephone number listed on your bill."
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 7 - BILLS AND PAYMENTS FOR SERVICE › Section 14:3-7.3 - Form of bill for unmetered service

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) A bill for
				unmetered service shall show the following:
1. The time period covered by the
				bill;
2. Identification of the
				applicable rate schedule. If the applicable rates are not shown, the bill shall
				carry a statement to the effect that the applicable rate will be furnished upon
				request;
3. The gross and/or net
				amount of the bill; and
4. If the
				utility uses gross and net billing, the date by which payment must be made to
				qualify for the net billing or discount.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 7 - BILLS AND PAYMENTS FOR SERVICE › Section 14:3-7.4 - Method of billing

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Bills for
				metered service and telephone service, except for seasonal service, shall be
				rendered monthly, bimonthly or quarterly and shall be prorated upon
				establishment and discontinuance of service. In unusual credit situations,
				bills may be rendered at shorter intervals.
(b) Seasonal metered service and seasonal
				telephone service may be billed in accordance with reasonable terms and
				conditions of service set forth in the utility's tariff filed with and approved
				by the Board.
(c) A utility
				furnishing unmetered service, including a telephone utility, may, under uniform
				nondiscriminatory terms and conditions, require payment in advance for one
				billing period, as specified in its applicable tariff.
(d) A utility offering electronic billing to
				its customers shall provide the same billing information as required in (a)
				through (c) above and in
				14:3-7.1 0. The utility shall
				advise those customers who opt to receive electronic billing of their right to
				also receive a paper bill upon request.
New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES › Subchapter 7 - BILLS AND PAYMENTS FOR SERVICE › Section 14:3-7.5 - Budget billing plans for residential accounts

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) This section
				applies only to gas, electric, water and wastewater utilities. It does not
				apply to telecommunications utilities.
(b) Each gas, electric, water and wastewater
				utility, which does not bill on a flat rate basis shall file with the Board as
				part of its tariff, and have available to the public on request, a budget
				billing plan program description for residential accounts. The budget billing
				plan program shall allow a customer to pay a predetermined monthly rate for a
				set time period (known as the budget plan year), based on the customer's
				average usage. At the end of the budget plan year, the public utility shall
				"true up" the customer's account, in accordance with (g) below, and will adjust
				the customer's charges to reflect the actual usage over the budget plan
				year.
(c) The budget billing plan
				required by this section shall be optional, except the utility shall ensure
				that residential electric or gas customers who apply for and are eligible for
				the Winter Termination Program under
				14:3-3A.5 participate in a budget
				billing plan.
(d) The projected
				monthly budget amount that a customer owes under a budget billing plan shall be
				determined by the following factors:
1.
				Monthly usage on the customer's account for the past season;
2. Actual weather conditions encountered
				during the past season, adjusted to normal year;
3. Base rate increases and levelized energy
				or levelized gas adjustment charges actually granted by the Board;
				and
4. Projected changes in the
				levelized energy or levelized gas adjustment charges.