Bill Text: NJ A526 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs BPU to conduct study to determine whether deployment of microgrids and generators will reduce length of power outages.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee [A526 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A526-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CHRISTIAN E. BARRANCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Directs BPU to conduct study to determine whether deployment of microgrids and generators will reduce length of power outages.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act directing the Board of Public Utilities to conduct a study to determine whether the deployment of microgrids and generators will reduce the length of power outages.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Board of Public Utilities shall study, prepare, and submit, within six months of the effective date of this act, to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, a written report that shall make findings and recommendations concerning whether the utilization of microgrids and the deployment of electric generators will assist in reducing the length of long-term power outages in this State. The board's report shall also provide recommendations for improvements to the resilience and reliability of the State's electric distribution system.
b. In conducting the study, the board shall:
(1) compare the general performance of this State's electric distribution system as compared to that of other states;
(2) assess the impact of the utilization of microgrids and the deployment of electric generators on long-term power outages in other states;
(3) consult with relevant persons and public and private entities in this State and other states that have utilized microgrids during power outages;
(4) consult with relevant electric public utilities in this State and other states that have deployed electric generators to communities during power outages; and
(5) consider the cost to ratepayers, municipalities, electric public utilities, and the State associated with the implementation of the findings and recommendations submitted pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
c. For the purposes of this act, "microgrid" means a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the electric grid, which can connect and disconnect from the electric grid to enable it to operate both connected to, or independent of, the electric grid.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study, prepare, and submit, within six months of the enactment of the bill, to the Governor and to the Legislature a written report that is to contain findings and recommendations concerning whether the utilization of microgrids and the deployment of electric generators will assist in reducing the length of long-term power outages in this State. The BPU's report is to also provide recommendations for improvements to the resilience and reliability of the State's electric distribution system.
In conducting the study, the BPU is to: 1) compare the general performance of this State's electric distribution system as compared to that of other states; 2) assess the impact of the utilization of microgrids and the deployment of electric generators on long-term power outages in other states; 3) consult with relevant persons and public and private entities in this State and other states that have utilized microgrids during power outages; 4) consult with relevant electric public utilities in this State and other states that have deployed electric generators to communities during power outages; 5) and consider the cost to ratepayers, municipalities, electric public utilities, and the State associated with the implementation of the findings and recommendations submitted pursuant to this bill.
The bill defines "microgrid" as a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the electric grid, which can connect and disconnect from the electric grid to enable it to operate both connected to, or independent of, the electric grid.
