(a) For the purposes of this section, “emergency” has the same meaning as provided in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 16-32e and “electric distribution company” has the same meaning as provided in section 16-1.
(b) On and after July 1, 2021, each electric distribution company shall provide to each residential customer compensation in an amount of two hundred fifty dollars, in the aggregate, for any medication and food that expires or spoils due to a distribution-system service outage that lasts more than ninety-six consecutive hours in duration after the occurrence of an emergency.
(c) Any costs incurred by an electric distribution company pursuant to this section shall not be recoverable.
(d) Not later than fourteen calendar days after the occurrence of an emergency, an electric distribution company may petition the authority for a waiver of the requirements of this section. Any petition for a waiver made under this subsection shall include the severity of the emergency, employee safety issues and conditions on the ground, and shall be conducted as a contested case proceeding. The burden of proving that such waiver is reasonable and warranted shall be on the electric distribution company. In determining whether to grant such waiver, the authority shall consider whether the electric distribution company received approval and reasonable funding allowances, as determined by the authority, to meet infrastructure resiliency efforts to improve such company's performance.
(e) On or before January 1, 2021, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall initiate a proceeding to consider the implementation of the compensation reimbursement and waiver provisions of this section and establish circumstances, standards and methodologies applicable to each electric distribution company and necessary to implement the provisions of this section, including any modifications to the ninety-six-consecutive-hour standard in subsection (b) of this section. The authority shall issue a final decision in such proceeding on or before July 1, 2021.
(Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-5, S. 11.)
History: Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-5 effective October 2, 2020.