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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO SUBMIT A STATUS
    REPORT ON DOCKET NO. 96-0493, INSTITUTING A PROCEEDING ON
    ELECTRIC COMPETITION, INCLUDING AN INVESTIGATION OF THE
    ELECTRIC UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE STATE. 



 1        WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State to ensure the
 2   provision of adequate, reasonably priced, and dependable energy
 3   services to accommodate demand; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, it is in the public interest to encourage further
 6   development of the State's energy services as a means of
 7   meeting the following objectives:
 8   
 9        (1)  Dependable, efficient, and economical statewide
10             energy systems capable of supporting the needs of the
11             people;
12   
13        (2)  Increased energy self-sufficiency where the ratio of
14             indigenous to imported energy use is increased; and
15   
16        (3)  Greater energy security in the face of threats to
17             Hawaii's energy supplies and systems;
18   and
19   
20        WHEREAS, within Hawaii's energy system, Hawaii's current
21   electric industry is a regulated monopoly; and
22   
23        WHEREAS, Hawaii's average electricity rates are the
24   highest in the United States; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, independent power producers in Hawaii may be able
27   to produce power under contract to Hawaii's utilities at prices
28   lower than the utilities' costs; and
29   
30        WHEREAS, competition in the electric industry may have
31   advantages over regulated monopoly and free markets may drive
32   down costs and prices by reducing inefficiencies; and

 
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                                  H.C.R. NO.            H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        WHEREAS, competition may reduce the cost of electricity to
 2   Hawaii's citizens, releasing purchasing power for other uses
 3   within the economy and thus decreasing the price of doing
 4   business in Hawaii; and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, competition may spur innovations with new
 7   technologies; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, competition may increase the use of indigenous
10   energy resources, promote energy efficiency measures, and
11   diversify energy supply in accordance with state energy policy;
12   and
13   
14        WHEREAS, the Public Utilities Commission has opened Docket
15   No. 96-0493 instituting a proceeding on competition for
16   providing electricity, including an investigation of the
17   electric utility infrastructure in the State of Hawaii; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, it may be advantageous to Hawaii's citizens to
20   initiate competition for providing electricity as soon as
21   possible; now, therefore,
22   
23        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
24   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
25   of 1999, the Senate concurring, that the Public Utilities
26   Commission is requested to submit a status report on Docket No.
27   96-0493, instituting a proceeding on electric competition,
28   including an investigation of the electric utility
29   infrastructure in the State; and
30   
31        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the status report is requested
32   to include a timetable for completion of review of the Docket
33   and any determinations that have been made; and
34   
35        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the status report is requested
36   to be submitted no later than twenty days prior to the
37   convening of the Regular Session of 2000; and
38   
39        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
40   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the
41   Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission.