N.J. Admin. Code § 14:3-7.2 - Form of bill for metered service

(a) This section applies only to a utility that provides metered service.

(b) Unless a utility has been specifically relieved of so doing by order of the Board, a bill for metered service shall show the following:

1. The meter readings at the beginning and end of the billing period;

2. The dates on which the meter is read;

3. The number and kind of units measured;

4. Identification of the applicable rate schedule. If the applicable rates are not shown, the bill shall carry a statement to the effect that the applicable rate will be furnished upon request;

5. The gross and/or net amount of the bill;

6. If the utility uses gross and net billing, the date on which payment must be made to qualify for the net billing or discount;

7. A distinctive marking to indicate the method used to calculate the bill; for example, electronic readings, estimated billing, budget billing, or the index of a remote reading device. In addition, the utility may also provide a web address and telephone number where the customer can obtain a description of the method used;

8. An explanation or statement of any conversion from meter reading to billing units or any other calculations or factors used in determining the bill;

9. For each Class A water utility and each wastewater utility that meets the revenue threshold of a Class A water utility subject to the Board's jurisdiction, sufficient information to reflect the estimated amount of money in that individual bill, which is collected for the gross receipts and franchise taxes pursuant to 54:30A-54. The following language is suggested as a model statement to be indicated on the bill: "Approximately 13% of $ _____ of your current period charges reflect the average gross receipts and franchises taxes which are paid to the State of New Jersey and distributed to New Jersey municipalities."; and

10. For each electric and gas utility, a statement of all applicable taxes imposed upon and included in the cost of the energy provided to the customer. The following language is suggested as a model statement to be included on the bill: "Under applicable tax law, the State sales and use tax, corporate business tax, and Transitional Energy Facility Assessment are imposed upon the energy which you have used. To obtain the exact amount of tax included in your billing, please contact the utility at the telephone number listed on your bill."

(c) If for any reason a utility cannot read a customer's meter, the utility may use estimated billing in accordance with (e) below.

(d) (Reserved)

(e) Rules concerning estimated bills for all customers are as follows:

1. Utility companies shall maintain a regular meter reading schedule and make a reasonable effort to read all meters;

2. Utility companies, upon request, shall make available to all customers a postage paid business reply card on which the customer may mark the meter reading as follows:

i. The business reply card shall have appropriate explanation. The utility shall permit the customer to telephone the meter reading to the utility. The customer reading is to be used in lieu of an estimated reading, provided the reading is received in time for billing;

3. When a utility estimates an account for four consecutive billing periods (monthly accounts), or two consecutive billing periods (bimonthly and quarterly accounts), the utility shall mail a notice marked "Important Notice" to the customer on the fifth and seventh months, respectively, explaining that a meter reading must be obtained and said notice shall explain the penalty for failure to complete an actual meter reading. After all reasonable means to obtain a meter reading have been exhausted, including, but not limited to, offering to schedule meter readings for evenings and on weekends, the utility may discontinue service provided at least eight months have passed since the last meter reading was obtained, the Board has been so notified and the customer has been properly notified by prior mailing. If service is discontinued and subsequently restored, the utility may charge a reconnection charge equal to the reconnection charge for restoring service after discontinuance for nonpayment;

4. Utility companies shall submit to the Board of Public Utilities a statement detailing their estimating procedures;

5. If low estimates result in a customer receiving an actual bill that is at least 25 percent greater than the prior estimated bill, the utility shall allow the customer to amortize the excess amount. The amortization will be in equal installments over a period of time equal to the period when no actual reading was taken by the customer or the utility; and

6. Annually, the utility shall notify all customers of their rights to amortize as set forth in (e)5 above.

(f) Prior to the implementation of any plan, automated or otherwise, which would replace or modify a utility's current method of taking actual meter readings for any class of customers, said plan shall be submitted to the Board for approval. The plan shall be accompanied by all of the following:

1. A justification for the new or modified plan;

2. A list of all associated costs and/or savings;

3. The impact, if any, upon safety; and

4. The potential for the diversion of service.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 14:3-7.2

As amended, R.1979 d.474, effective 1/1/1980.
See: 11 N.J.R. 402(b), 12 N.J.R. 49(b).
As amended, R.1980 d.44, effective 1/24/1980.
See: 12 N.J.R. 156(d).
As amended, R.1980 d.299, effective 7/1/1980.
See: 12 N.J.R. 209(f), 12 N.J.R. 495(d).
As amended by R.1987 d.163, effective 4/6/1987.
See: 18 N.J.R. 2425(a), 19 N.J.R. 552(a).
Substituted "and sewerage" for "sewage".
Amended by R.1991 d.221, effective 5/6/1991.
See: 22 N.J.R. 1112(a), 23 N.J.R. 1439(b).
Deleted archaic "Board of Public Utility Commissioners".
Amended by R.1997 d.39, effective 2/3/1997.
See: 28 N.J.R. 1810(a), 29 N.J.R. 449(a).
Added (a)10; in (b)3, inserted provision on offering evening and weekend readings; in (b)5, inserted reference to averaged bills and bills based upon remote reading device index; and added (c).
Amended by R.2002 d.280, effective 9/16/2002.
See: 34 N.J.R. 992(a), 34 N.J.R. 3216(b).
In (a), rewrote 9 and 10.
Recodified from N.J.A.C. 14:3-7.9 and amended by R.2008 d.119, effective 5/19/2008.
See: 39 N.J.R. 4077(b), 40 N.J.R. 2481(a).
Added new (a); recodified former (a) as (b); added new (c), recodified former (b) and (c) as (e) and (f); in the introductory paragraph of (b), substituted "a bill for metered service" for "the bill"; rewrote (b)7; in (b)9, inserted "; and" at the end; in (b)10, substituted "utility, a statement of" for "company subject to the Board's jurisdiction, sufficient information to adequately reflect that the payment of" and "the energy provided to the customer" for "each kilowatt hour of electricity and therm of gas consumed by an electric and gas company", deleted "pursuant to P.L. 1997, c.162 and other applicable laws of this State" from the end of the first sentence and substituted the last occurrence of "utility" for "company"; in the introductory paragraph of (e), substituted "all" for "residential"; in (e)1, substituted a semicolon for a period at the end; in (e)2, substituted "shall" for "must", substituted "as follows:" for a period at the end and recodified the second through fourth sentences as (e)2i; in (e)2i, substituted "The business reply" for "Said", the second occurrence of "shall" for "must" and a semicolon for a period at the end; in (e)3, deleted "company" following the first occurrence of "utility", substituted "utility shall" for "the company must initiate a program to", substituted the second occurrence of "shall" for "must", substituted the third occurrence of "utility" for "company" and substituted a semicolon for a period at the end; in (e)4, substituted "shall" for "may" and substituted a semicolon for a period at the end; deleted former (e)5; recodified (e)6 and (e)7 as (e)5 and (e)6; in (e)5, substituted the first occurrence of "utility" for "company" and "utility; and" for "company."; in (e)6, substituted "utility" for "company" and "set forth in (e)5" for "outlined in (b)6"; and rewrote (f). Former N.J.A.C. 14:3-7.2, Deposits to insure credit of new customers, was repealed.