ASSEMBLY, No. 2480

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 14, 2022

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  GREGORY P. MCGUCKIN

District 10 (Ocean)

Assemblyman  JOHN CATALANO

District 10 (Ocean)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Sauickie

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires electric public utility to submit proposal to BPU detailing utility’s plan to harden its electric distribution substations to protect against criminal attacks.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning electric public utility criminal attack prevention plans and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes.

 

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

 

     1.    As used in P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

     “Board” means the Board of Public Utilities or its successor agency.

     “Electric distribution substation” means, with respect to an electric public utility, an electric substation which takes electricity from the transmission grid and converts it to a lower voltage for the purpose of distribution to end-use customers in the State through one or more distribution lines having a rating of less than 69 kilovolts, or a rating as the board to determines to be at the distribution level.

     “Electric public utility” or “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.    a.   Within 180 days of the board’s promulgation of the rules and regulations establishing electric distribution substation criminal attack prevention standards pursuant to section 3 of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), each electric public utility in the State having ownership or control of an electric distribution substation shall submit a plan to the board, for approval, detailing the utility’s plan to strengthen its electric distribution substation infrastructure to protect against criminal attacks.

     b.    Within 180 days of receipt of an electric public utility’s submission of the plan pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the board shall determine whether the plan is feasible and whether it shall be implemented with or without recommendations.  Upon a determination that the plan is feasible and shall be implemented, the board shall order the utility to implement and complete the plan within one calendar year from the date of the order.

 

     3.    Within 120 days of the effective date of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the board shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), establishing electric distribution substation criminal attack prevention standards, and any other rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

 

     4.    This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

 

     This bill requires each electric public utility (utility) in the State having ownership or control of an electric distribution substation to submit a proposal to the Board of Public Utilities (board) for approval detailing the utility’s plan to harden its electric distribution substation to protect against criminal attacks.  Within 180 days of receipt of a utility’s submission of the plan, the board is to determine whether the plan is feasible and whether the plan is to be implemented with or without recommendations.  Upon a determination that the plan is feasible and is to be implemented, the board is to order the utility to implement and complete the plan within one calendar year from the date of the order.