Connecticut General Statutes/Title 16/Chapter 277/Section 16-16

CGS § 16-16. Report of accidents. Penalties.

(a) Each public service company, person involved in the transportation of gas, as such terms are defined in section 16-280a, and electric supplier subject to regulation by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall, in the event of any accident attended with personal injury or involving public safety, which was or may have been connected with or due to the operation of its property, or caused by contact with the wires of any public service company or electric supplier, notify the authority thereof, by contacting the chairperson of the authority or the chairperson's designee by telephone or otherwise, as soon as may be reasonably possible after the occurrence of such accident, but not later than twelve hours after the occurrence, unless such accident is a minor accident, as defined by regulations of the authority. Each such person, company or electric supplier shall report such minor accidents to the authority in writing, in summary form, once each month. If notice of such accident, other than a minor accident, is given otherwise than in writing, it shall be confirmed in writing within five days after the occurrence of such accident.

(b) Each electric distribution company shall incorporate the information described in section 16-19ee into the monthly report required pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Any person, company or electric supplier that fails to comply with the provisions of this section shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars for each offense. A violation of the provisions of this section concerning the reporting of accidents, except minor accidents, shall constitute a continued violation, pursuant to section 16-41, for the period from the date the person, company or electric supplier is required to notify the chairperson of the authority by telephone or otherwise of the accident until the date the authority receives such notice in writing. A violation of the provision of this section concerning the reporting of minor accidents shall constitute a continued violation, pursuant to section 16-41, for the period from the date the person, company or electric supplier is required to notify the authority in writing of such minor accident until the date the authority receives such notice in writing.

(d) Any restitution ordered by the authority pursuant to section 16-41 for customer equipment or customer property damaged in an accident, including a minor accident, as defined by regulations of the authority, shall equal the replacement value of such equipment or property. The fines imposed in accordance with subsection (c) of this section shall not reduce or limit the amount of any restitution.

(e) Any fines or restitution costs paid by an electric distribution company pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) of this section shall not be recoverable through rates.

Short History

(1949 Rev., S. 5406; P.A. 75-486, S. 1, 69; P.A. 77-254; 77-614, S. 162, 610; P.A. 79-610, S. 42; P.A. 80-482, S. 52, 348; P.A. 94-242, S. 1, 9; P.A. 98-28, S. 87, 117; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 22-20, S. 5; P.A. 23-102, S. 12.)

Long History

History: P.A. 75-486 replaced public utilities commission with public utilities control authority; P.A. 77-254 added special provisions for reporting minor accidents; P.A. 77-614 replaced public utilities control authority with division of public utility control within the department of business regulation, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-610 deleted reference to companies operating motor buses or taxicabs; P.A. 80-482 made division of public utility control an independent department and deleted reference to abolished department of business regulation; P.A. 94-242 deleted references to persons or companies operating motor vehicles in livery service and motor common or contract carriers of property for hire, effective June 2, 1994; P.A. 98-28 added electric suppliers, effective July 1, 1998; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Department of Public Utility Control” and “department” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Public Utilities Regulatory Authority” and “authority”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 22-20 added reference to person involved in the transportation of gas as defined in Sec. 16-280a and made a technical change; P.A. 23-102 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same by adding reference to contacting chairperson or chairperson's designee, adding “but not later than twelve hours after the occurrence,” and deleting provision re fines, and added Subsecs. (b) to (e) re monthly report requirement, fines and restitution, effective June 29, 2023.

PreviousCGS § 16-15. Compliance with orders. Penalty.NextCGS § 16-17. Duties as to accidents.