This bill mandates that electric public utilities in New Jersey develop service restoration plans specifically for private well water and septic communities within their service territories. The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) is tasked with identifying these communities and ensuring that the restoration plans prioritize their needs in the event of a sustained interruption of service following a major event. The bill defines "priority service restoration" as the prioritization of electric power service restoration to facilities essential to public welfare, including those relying on private well water and septic systems. It also establishes that a "sustained interruption" refers to an outage lasting more than 12 consecutive hours after a major event.

Additionally, the bill requires that the restoration plans include provisions for at least one watering station, a water tanker truck, and other necessary water resources tailored to the community's needs, including for livestock. Electric public utilities must submit these plans to the BPU within one year of the bill's enactment, and the BPU is required to post all plans on its website. The intent of the bill is to ensure that private well water and septic communities receive timely service restoration, addressing their unique vulnerabilities to health risks during service disruptions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 48:7-26