SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2816

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 4, 2024

      The Senate Environment and Energy Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2816.

      This bill, as amended by the committee, would require each electric public utility in the State to submit, within 90 days after the bill's enactment, an electric infrastructure improvement plan to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) for approval.  The purpose of the plan would be to reopen many of the State’s electric distribution circuits that have been closed to any additional renewable energy installations, or restricted to 100 kilowatts or less of remaining circuit capacity.

      The bill would require each plan to contain certain provisions, as enumerated in subsection b. of section 1 of the bill, as well as any additional provisions included by the utility.  The bill would require the BPU to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove each plan within 120 days after the bill's enactment.  Each utility would be required to schedule the work associated with each plan at the earliest date possible.

      The committee amendments to the bill would:

      (1)  clarify that electric infrastructure improvement plans would not be required to include infrastructure improvements to the electric transmission system; and

      (2)  authorize the BPU to disapprove of an electric infrastructure improvement plan.