Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 6, March 18, 2024
(a) In accordance with 14:3-2.6 and 2.7, each EDC shall have inspection and maintenance programs for its distribution facilities, as appropriate to furnish safe, proper and adequate service. These programs shall:
1. Be based on factors, such as applicable industry codes, national electric industry practices, manufacturer's recommendations, sound engineering judgment and past experience;
2. Be focused in significant part on mitigating those interruption causes with the greatest impact on reliability, such as those related to equipment, vegetation, and animals; and
3. Utilize tree trimming, physical plant inspections, maintenance and protective measures and equipment to assist in the prevention and management of interruptions when appropriate.
(b) Each EDC shall submit to the Board, in the Annual System Performance Report, compliance plans for the inspections, maintenance, and recordkeeping required in this subchapter, including those related to vegetation management as required under 14:5-8.8(c)9. These compliance plans shall include individual programs aimed at reducing specific outage causes.
(c) Each EDC shall maintain records of inspection and maintenance activities. These records shall be made available to Board Staff, who shall be permitted to inspect such records at any reasonable time.
(d) Each EDC shall track and report hazard trees on the distribution system that cannot be mitigated by the EDC.
1. The EDC will conduct a visual Level 1 identification (as per ANSI A300, Part 9) and recording of hazard trees. This process will only be performed by appropriately trained professionals designated by the VM as part of the EDC's planned vegetation management work for each cycle year of the four-year cycle. Data for the preceding performance year regarding hazard trees that cannot be mitigated by the EDC should be provided to the Board on an annual basis.
2. Each EDC shall specifically identify hazard trees deemed a potential threat to the distribution system by the EDC's vegetation management professionals, both within and outside of the ROW for the infrastructure, that the EDC cannot mitigate due to either municipal or property owner resistance.
3. The EDCs shall provide the information required by 14:5-9.9(d)2 in the Annual System Performance Report for trees identified in (d)1 above. The EDCs shall not provide specific location or customer or property owner data as part of the information contained in the Annual System Performance Report.
