New Jersey S 1119: Directs BPU to study feasibility of adopting certain requirements for installation of new and replacement electric distribution utility poles and transmission towers.

Bill Text

SENATE, No. 1119

STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION

Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS
Directs BPU to study feasibility of adopting certain requirements for
installation of new and replacement electric distribution utility poles and
transmission towers.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

S1119 MCKEON
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AN ACT directing the Board of Public Utilities to conduct a study 1
concerning certain electric public utility infrastructure. 2
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BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 4
of New Jersey: 5
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1. a. The Board of Public Utilities shall study and prepare and 7
submit, within six months of the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) 8
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), to the Governor and, 9
pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the 10
Legislature a written report which shall make findings and 11
recommendations concerning the feasibility of establishing 12
requirements concerning the installation of new or replacement 13
electric distribution utility poles and transmission towers to include: 14
(1) the feasibility of requiring the installation of concrete, steel, 15
or fiberglass-reinforced composite electric distribution poles; 16
(2) the feasibility of requiring the installation of higher classes 17
of wood electric distribution utility poles than are currently in use; 18
(3) the feasibility of installing higher class or grades of 19
transmission towers than are currently in use; 20
(4) the feasibility of establishing increased height requirements 21
for electric distribution utility poles which support transformers and 22
related distribution infrastructure; and 23
(5) the implementation of standards related to foundation 24
design, embedment depth, and advanced engineering methods for 25
utility pole installation. 26
The purpose of the study is to determine what type of electric 27
distribution utility poles and transmission towers should be 28
installed, and under what method the installation should occur, to 29
adequately support overhead distribution and transmission 30
infrastructure during a severe weather event including, but not 31
limited to, a hurricane, cyclone, flood, tornado, snow storm, or ice 32
storm. 33
b. In conducting the study, the board shall: 34
(1) consult with relevant persons and public and private entities 35
in other states that have utilized the types of utility poles, 36
transmission towers, or standards described in subsection a. of this 37
section; 38
(2) consider the requirements of the National Electrical Code, 39
the National Electrical Safety Code, the American National 40
Standards Institute, and other applicable national and international 41
standards; and 42
(3) consider the cost to ratepayers, municipalities, electric 43
public utilities, and the State associated with the implementation of 44
the requirements described in subsection a. of this section. 45
c. For the purposes of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before 46
the Legislature as this bill), “electric public utility" means a public 47

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utility, as that term is defined in R.S.48:2-13, that transmits and 1
distributes electricity to end users within this State. 2
3
2. This act shall take effect immediately. 4
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STATEMENT 7
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This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study and 9
prepare and submit, within six months of the effective date of the 10
bill, to the Governor and to the Legislature, a written report making 11
findings and recommendations concerning the feasibility of 12
establishing requirements concerning the installation of new or 13
replacement electric distribution utility poles. The BPU would 14
consider: 1) the feasibility of requiring the installation of concrete, 15
steel, or fiberglass-reinforced composite electric distribution poles; 16
2) the feasibility of requiring the installation of higher classes of 17
wood electric distribution utility poles than are currently in use; 3) 18
the feasibility of installing higher class or grades of transmission 19
towers than are currently in use; 4) the feasibility of establishing 20
increased height requirements for electric distribution utility poles 21
which support transformers and related distribution infrastructure; 22
and 5) the implementation of standards related to foundation design, 23
embedment depth, and advanced engineering methods for utility 24
pole installation. 25
In conducting the study, the board is directed to: 1) consult with 26
relevant persons and public and private entities in other states that 27
have utilized the types of utility poles, transmission towers, or other 28
standards described in the bill; 2) consider the requirements of the 29
National Electrical Code, the National Electrical Safety Code, the 30
American National Standards Institute, and other applicable 31
national and international standards; and