HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	60
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO WORK WITH THE MAJOR UTILITY INDUSTRIES IN THE STATE TO DEVELOP A MECHANISM TO COORDINATE REPAIRS TO DAMAGED UTILITY POLES.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, easy access to utilities, including electricity, cable television, and phone is imperative to daily life; and

 

     WHEREAS, this access has been accommodated through the development of an infrastructure that allows for the delivery of such utilities to many homes and businesses throughout the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii utilities, including electricity, phone, and state or city-owned streetlights jointly own approximately fifty-five thousand utility poles, while Hawaiian Electric has sole ownership of approximately fifteen thousand utility poles; and

 

     WHEREAS, these utility poles are used to deliver electricity, cable, and phone service to many homes and businesses; and

 

     WHEREAS, when utility poles are knocked down as a result of things such as inclement weather or accidents, utility service to residents and businesses is disrupted; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature understands that it is the Hawaiian Electric Companies' responsibility to replace the utility pole; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature further understands that while electricity is often restored to residents very quickly, it can take as long as five to six months for other services, including cable and phone, to be restored; and

 

     WHEREAS, delay in the restoration of such services can result in significant hardship for residents and businesses in the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2004, legislation was passed to establish a single call center, administered by the Public Utilities Commission, to provide advance warning to excavators of the location of underground utilities; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Public Utilities Commission established an advisory committee including government, construction industry, and utility representatives to advise the Commission on the implementation of the One Call Center; and

 

     WHEREAS, among other things, the One Call Center has been a successful means of coordinating work among utilities in the State and demonstrates the benefits of collaboration between the Public Utilities Commission and the utilities; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, the Senate concurring, that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to work with the major utility industries in the State to develop a mechanism to coordinate repairs to damaged utility poles; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission consider, among other things, the organization of the One Call Center and its advisory board as a potential model; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the Public Utilities Commission.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Utility Poles; Repair; Public Utilities Commission