New Jersey § 48:2-16

§ 48:2-16.

The Board of Public Utilities shall establish procedures to provide for management

audits to be performed on a regular or irregular schedule on all or any portion of

the operating procedures and any other internal workings of every gas or electric

utility subject to its jurisdiction. In any case where the board determines that an audit is necessary or desirable,

it may order the audit to be performed by members of its staff, or it may require

that the audit be performed under the supervision of designated members of the board's

staff by an independent management consulting firm selected by the utility from a

list provided by the board for the audit, which list shall include the names of at

least five qualified firms, at least two of which shall be of nationally recognized

stature. An audit shall be conducted at least once every 3 years, except where the board

finds that an audit is unnecessary. In no event, however, shall an audit be conducted less than once every 6 years. All expenses of the audits shall be borne by the affected utilities. The results of each audit shall be filed with the board and shall be open to public

inspection. Upon completion and review of an audit, if the person or firm performing or supervising

the audit determines that any of the operating procedures or any other internal workings

of the affected utility are inefficient, improvident, unreasonable, negligent or an

abuse of discretion, the board may, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, order

the affected public utility to adopt such new or altered practices and procedures

as the board shall find to be necessary to promote efficient and adequate service

to meet the public convenience and necessity. All reasonable and proper costs and expenses, as determined by the board, of complying

with any order of the board pursuant to this act shall be recognized by the board

for all purposes as proper business expenses of the affected utility. Nothing in this act shall be deemed to interfere or conflict with any powers of

the board or its staff to conduct an audit, investigation or review of the books,

records and accounts of any gas or electric utility under its jurisdiction.