Bill > A1071

This bill requires electric public utilities to prioritize restoring power to certain facilities after an extended power outage, which is defined as an outage lasting more than 24 hours, following a major event. A major event is broadly defined as a significant natural or human-caused occurrence, such as a storm or terrorist attack, that causes widespread service interruptions or a declared state of emergency. The facilities that will receive priority restoration include hospitals, assisted living facilities (which are licensed residences or comprehensive personal care homes), nursing homes, chronic or acute renal dialysis facilities, and research laboratories or institutes that store human blood or DNA. However, the bill specifies that these priority restoration efforts should not detract from overall public safety needs. The Board of Public Utilities, referred to as the "Board," will be responsible for creating the necessary rules and regulations to implement these requirements, allowing utilities some discretion in prioritizing restoration based on a facility's specific needs and the geographic area.