New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 14 - PUBLIC UTILITIES
Chapter 3 - ALL UTILITIES
Subchapter 5 - CONTACTING THE UTILITY
Section 14:3-5.1 - Location of offices

Universal Citation: NJ Admin Code 14:3-5.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 6, March 18, 2024

(a) Each utility shall maintain an office in its New Jersey service area, the current location of which shall be furnished to the Board's Division of Customer Assistance, where applications for service, complaints, service inquiries, bill payments, and so forth, will be received.

(b) Each utility shall annually provide the Board with a list of its in-person business offices, setting forth the location of and functions performed at each office.

(c) The utility shall file written notice with the Board of any proposed change in the functions of one or more of these offices at least 14 business days prior to the change being made.

(d) Each utility shall furnish the Board with the current location of the offices where any information that the utility is legally required to provide to customers, governmental bodies, other utilities and contractors is available.

(e) In the event that a utility desires to close or relocate an office, the utility shall comply with the following procedures:

1. At least 60 days prior to the closing or relocation of an office described in (a) or (b) above, a utility shall apply for approval with the Board, demonstrating that such closure or relocation is not unreasonable and will not unduly prejudice the public interest, and setting forth the means, upon Board approval of the application, by which customers and other interested parties will be adequately notified of the closing or relocation and alternatives available in the case of a closed office.

2. The utility shall simultaneously notify its customers and the clerk of each affected municipality of the pending application for permission to relocate or close the subject office by means of posting notice at the office location and, within three days of application, by placing notice of the office closing or relocation in the newspaper(s) serving the affected area.
i. The notice shall inform customers of their right to present to the Board, in writing, any objections they may have to the office closure or relocation; and

ii. The notice shall specify a date certain for submission of comments which date shall not be less than 20 nor more than 30 days after publication and posting.

3. An office shall not be closed or relocated until the utility has been informed, in writing, that the Board has approved such request.

(f) Utilities shall maintain and provide toll free or local exchange telephone numbers for use by the general public and customers affected by an office closing or relocation for billing, service and sales inquiries. This toll free number or local exchange number shall be posted on any notice at the office location, as well as in the notice placed in the newspaper(s), pursuant to (e) above, serving the affected area.

(g) Each utility shall advise the Board's Division of Customer Assistance at (973) 648-4436 not less than 60 days prior to the relocation of any of its customer call center(s) located in New Jersey. If the utility wishes to relocate a call center outside of New Jersey, the utility shall first demonstrate to Board staff that all customer service representatives at the new location have a thorough understanding of:

1. The Board's rules and any other State or Federal rules that are relevant to consumer protection in New Jersey; and

2. Conditions that affect utility service in New Jersey, including, but not limited to, New Jersey geography, population, ethnic diversity, weather and climate.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Jersey may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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