48:3-88 Status of municipal systems, rural electric cooperatives, definition.
39. a. (1) A municipal system, or a rural electric cooperative, that was established prior to the effective date of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-49 et seq.), shall not be subject to the provisions of P.L.1999, c.23 except as provided in paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section or subsection b. of this section.
(2) The governing body of a municipality that operates such a municipal system, or the board of directors of a rural electric cooperative, may require that system or cooperative, as the case may be, to implement retail choice.
b. (1) A municipal system subject to this section that serves retail electric power customers solely within the corporate limits of its municipality and that, on or after the effective date of P.L.2003, c.248, is authorized by the governing body of the municipality to provide electric generation service beyond those corporate limits shall become licensed as an electric power supplier pursuant to section 29 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-78) and shall be subject to the provisions of sections 31 through 38 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-80 through C.48:3-87) for the purpose of and to the extent of the provision of such electric generation service.
(2) A municipal system subject to this section that serves retail electric power customers beyond the corporate limits of its municipality and that, on or after the effective date of P.L.2003, c.248, is authorized by the governing body of the municipality to provide electric generation service beyond its franchise area shall become licensed as an electric power supplier pursuant to section 29 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-78) and shall be subject to the provisions of sections 31 through 38 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-80 through C.48:3-87) for the purpose of and to the extent of the provision of such electric generation service.
(3) A rural electric cooperative subject to this section that, on or after the effective date of P.L.2003, c.248, is authorized by its board of directors to provide electric generation service beyond its franchise area shall become licensed as an electric power supplier pursuant to section 29 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-78) and shall be subject to the provisions of sections 31 through 38 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-80 through C.48:3-87) for the purpose of and to the extent of the provision of such electric generation service.
(4) A municipal system or rural electric cooperative that becomes licensed as an electric power supplier and otherwise subject to the provisions of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-49 et seq.) pursuant to the provisions of this section shall, in conjunction with the provision of electric generation service, provide for retail choice for the retail electric power customers within its prior service or franchise area, as appropriate.
c. For the purposes of this section, "municipal system" means a municipality that provides light, heat or power pursuant to the provisions of R.S.40:62-12 et seq.
L.1999,c.23,s.39; amended 2003, c.248, s.1.