N.J. Admin. Code § 14:3-5.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024

Section 14:3-5.2 - Contacting the utility

(a) Each utility shall make itself accessible to customers and Board staff by maintaining the following:

1. A toll free emergency telephone number at which a customer service representative can be reached quickly at any time of day or night, seven days per week;

2. A toll-free non-emergency telephone number at which a customer service representative can be reached during normal business hours;

3. A utility emergency contact, who is available to Board staff by telephone at any time of day or night, seven days per week. The contact information for this person shall be submitted along with the utility's annual financial and operations report under 14:3-6.3;

4. A control room emergency contact telephone number, through which Board staff can speak directly with the utility operating personnel who monitor, supervise and control the function of the utility's facilities and personnel on a minute-by-minute basis;

5. A regulatory affairs representative, who is available to Board staff by telephone during normal business hours, and who will do the following:

i. Assist staff in pursuing investigations on behalf of the Board and/or the Division of Consumer Affairs in the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety; and

ii. Facilitate the resolution of billing complaints and other problems; and

6. An internet website and e-mail address through which Board staff and customers can contact the utility for non-emergency matters.

(b) An automated telephone answering system shall not, by itself, satisfy the requirements in (a)1 through 4 above.

(c) If a utility uses an automated telephone answering system, the system shall:

1. Inform the caller that it is an automatic answering system; and

2. Provide an escape option to allow a caller to speak to an individual.

(d) Each utility shall furnish to the Board and keep current a list of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all of the representatives required under (a)1 through 4 above.

(e) Each public utility shall prominently display on all customer bills the emergency telephone number required under (a)1 above.

(f) Each public utility shall list the emergency telephone number required under (a)1 above in appropriate telephone directories, and file same with police departments, fire departments, municipal clerks and other appropriate governmental agencies.

(g) Each utility shall respond to an emergency or shut-off complaint from the Board's Division of Customer Assistance within one hour of receiving such complaints, by acknowledging receipt of the complaint by e-mail or facsimile to the member of the Board staff who forwarded the complaint. The purpose of the acknowledgement is to inform staff that the complaint has been received and that the process for the implementation of any appropriate corrective action has been initiated.

N.J. Admin. Code § 14:3-5.2

R.1973 d.187, effective 7/11/1973.
See: 4 N.J.R. 196(e), 5 N.J.R. 292(b).
Amended by R.1997 d.39, effective 2/3/1997.
See: 28 N.J.R. 1810(a), 29 N.J.R. 449(a).
Added (d).
Amended by R.2002 d.280, effective 9/16/2002.
See: 34 N.J.R. 992(a), 34 N.J.R. 3216(b).
Added (e).
Recodified in part from N.J.A.C. 14:3-5.3 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 "Personnel to be contacted". Added new (a) through (c); recodified former (a) as (d); deleted former (b); and in (d), inserted "the" preceding "names" and substituted "all of the representatives required under (a)1 through 4 above" for "responsible officials to be contacted in connection with routine matters during normal working hours"; recodified former N.J.A.C. 14:3-5.3(a) and (b) as (e) and (f); rewrote (e); in (f), substituted "Each" for "In addition, each" and "list the" for "maintain a listed" and inserted "telephone" and "required under (a)1 above"; deleted former N.J.A.C. 14:3-5.3(c) and (d); and recodified former N.J.A.C. 14:3-5.3(e) as (g).