Bill Text: NJ S3464 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires electric public utilities to upgrade certain portions of electric transmission and distribution system with advanced conductors.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-06-20 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S3464 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S3464-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator BOB SMITH
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Requires electric public utilities to upgrade certain portions of electric transmission and distribution system with advanced conductors.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the electric transmission and distribution system and supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statues.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
"Advanced conductor" means an overhead electricity conductor that has a direct current electrical resistance at least 10 percent lower than existing conductors of a similar diameter on the transmission and distribution system, based on established direct current resistance at standard pressure and a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.
"Advanced reconductoring" means the replacement of conventional overhead electricity conductors with advanced conductors.
"Board" means the Board of Public Utilities.
"Electric public utility" means the same as the term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-51).
"Transmission and distribution system" means the same as the term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-51).
b. Each electric public utility shall, wherever practicable, upgrade its portion of the transmission and distribution system using advanced reconductoring, both in the course of routine maintenance to the system, and through standalone primary wire replacement projects.
c. No later than one year after the effective date of this act, each electric public utility shall conduct an assessment of its portion of the transmission and distribution system in order to determine the most cost effective and beneficial locations to be upgraded through advanced reconductoring. No later than three months after the electric public utility completes the assessment, it shall make a filing with the board outlining the locations it proposes to upgrade.
d. An electric public utility may petition the board to include in the utility's rate base the reasonable costs of advanced reconductoring projects it undertakes pursuant to this section.
e. The board may develop criteria for what constitutes reasonable costs for advanced reconductoring projects. In establishing the criteria, the board may consider decreased electrical losses and any other relevant consumer, environmental, and system benefits provided by advanced conductors.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would direct each electric public utility in the State to upgrade the utility's portion of the electric transmission and distribution system with advanced conductors, wherever practicable, both in the course of routine maintenance to the system, and through standalone primary wire replacement projects.
The bill would require each public utility, no later than one year after the effective date of the bill, to conduct an assessment of its portion of the transmission and distribution system in order to determine the most cost effective and beneficial locations to be upgraded through advanced reconductoring. No later than three months after the electric public utility completes the assessment, it would be required to make a filing with the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) outlining the locations it proposes to upgrade.
The bill would also authorize electric public utilities to petition the BPU to include the reasonable costs of these projects in the utility's rate base, allowing the costs to be recovered from ratepayers. The bill would authorize the BPU to develop criteria for what constitutes "reasonable costs" for advanced reconductoring projects.
Most power lines in the United States consist of steel cores surrounded by strands of aluminum. Advanced conductors use alternative designs or materials, for example smaller, lighter cores composed of carbon fiber, which can be surrounded by additional aluminum. Advanced conductors decrease the electric resistance of the power line and allow it to carry additional electric current. In addition, the cost of upgrading existing lines to advanced conductors is usually cheaper than the cost of constructing new power lines.
