STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2750

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2191

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2191, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to conduct a statewide study on undergrounding overhead utility lines.

     Specifically, this measure directs the Public Utilities Commission to conduct a statewide study to select one priority region in each county with overhead utility lines that are prone to repeated falling or damage due to weather and other occurrences, and which may be addressed with the undergrounding of utility lines.  In consultation with public utility providers and the community, the Commission shall develop a plan to underground overhead utility lines in those areas.  This measure also appropriates an unspecified amount from the public utilities commission special fund for the study and planning.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.  Comments on this measure were submitted by the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

     Your Committee finds that severe weather and storm damage repeatedly result in downed utility lines, damaged utility poles, and extended power outages in several vulnerable areas of the State.  Your Committee finds that it would be beneficial to identify those areas that are most in need and which will be helped most by underground utility lines.  Your Committee believes that a fiscally and logistically sound strategy would be to identify one such area in each county and develop a plan for undergrounding overhead utility lines in that area, in consultation with the local utility provider and the community.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2191, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2191, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair