N.J. Admin. Code § 14:3-3.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 8, April 15, 2024

Section 14:3-3.3 - Providing information to customers

(a) Each utility shall, upon request, furnish its customers with such information as is reasonable in order that the customers may obtain safe, adequate and proper service.

(b) All utility customers shall be given a copy of the "Customer Bill of Rights" approved by the Board, effective at the time of service initiation. Said copy shall be presented no later than at the time of the issuance of the customer's first bill or 30 days after the initiation of service, whichever is later.

(c) If a customer's service is likely to be affected by peculiar or unusual circumstances, the public utility shall inform the customer as to how the customer can minimize the effect of such circumstances in order to secure sufficient and satisfactory service from the utility's system.

(d) Each utility shall supply its customers with information on the furnishing and performance of service in a manner that tends to conserve energy resources and water resources and preserve the quality of the environment, which shall include, but not be limited to, the duty to inform customers:

1. That there is a national and local need for the conservation of all types of energy resources by industrial, commercial and residential customers;

2. That such conservation, if widely practiced, particularly at periods of peak demand, will reduce or defer the need for the expansion of utility generating and transmission capacity, with attendant public benefits in land use, environmental quality and public health and safety;

3. That the utility will continue to develop and implement other conservation programs which will be promoted and advertised as provided for herein;

4. That the information shall be distributed to the public by the following means:

i. Extensive advertising by public media, including newspapers, periodicals, television, radio, and social media;

ii. The use of outdoor signs and messages, including posting on utility vehicles and facilities, and common carriers;

iii. By direct mailing, at no direct charge to customers, informational booklets detailing methods for conserving energy resources and any other information pursuant to this subchapter, which the Board may from time to time require; and

5. That no utility may distribute to the public, advertise or otherwise disseminate information for the purpose or with the effect of encouraging or promoting the consumption of energy resources in a manner inconsistent with these rules.

(e) The utility shall make application for any street opening permits that are necessary for installing its service connections and shall not be required to furnish service until after such permits are granted. The municipal charge, if any, for permission to open the street shall be paid by the customer.

N.J. Admin. Code § 14:3-3.3

Amended by R.1975 d.305, effective 10/17/1975.
See: 7 N.J.R. 277(b), 7 N.J.R. 510(b).
Amended by R.1997 d.39, effective 2/3/1997.
See: 28 N.J.R. 1810(a), 29 N.J.R. 449(a).
In (a), inserted reference to Customer Bill of Rights; in (c), deleted reference to service line tariffs; deleted (d)3, relating to installing ceiling insulation; and recodified former (d)4 through (d)6 as (d)3 through (d)5.
Recodified in part from N.J.A.C. 14:3-3.4 and amended by R.2008 d.119, effective 5/19/2008.
See: 39 N.J.R. 4077(b), 40 N.J.R. 2481(a).
Section was "Customer information". In (a), recodified former second and third sentences as (b); recodified former (b) as new (c); deleted former (c); rewrote new (c); in (d)4iii, substituted "subchapter," for "Subchapter" and substituted "; and" for a period at the end; recodified former N.J.A.C. 14:3-3.4 as (e); and in (e), substituted first occurrence of "shall" for ", where necessary, will" and inserted "that are necessary".

Amended by 54 N.J.R. 1612(a), effective 8/15/2022