REPORT TITLE:
Utility Transmission Lines


DESCRIPTION:
Prohibits PUC approval of new 46 kilovolt or greater high voltage
electric transmission systems in residential areas, or near
schools or licensed child care facilities, unless placed
underground and insulated against electro-magnetic field
emissions; requires PUC to re-review prior applications. (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        756
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 269-27.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
 
 3      "(a)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, whenever a
 
 4 public utility applies to the public utilities commission for
 
 5 approval to place, construct, erect, or otherwise build a new
 
 6 forty-six kilovolt or greater high-voltage electric transmission
 
 7 system, either above or below the surface of the ground, the
 
 8 public utilities commission shall determine whether the electric
 
 9 transmission system shall be placed, constructed, erected, or
 
10 built above or below the surface of the ground; provided that in
 
11 its determination[, the]: 
 
12      (1)  The public utilities commission shall consider:
 
13     [(1)] (A)  Whether a benefit exists that outweighs the costs
 
14                of placing the electric transmission system
 
15                underground;
 
16     [(2)] (B)  Whether there is a governmental public policy
 
17                requiring the electric transmission system to be
 
18                placed, constructed, erected, or built
 
19                underground, and the governmental agency
 

 
Page 2                                                     756
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1                establishing the policy commits funds for the
 
 2                additional costs of undergrounding;
 
 3     [(3)] (C)  Whether any governmental agency or other parties
 
 4                are willing to pay for the additional costs of
 
 5                undergrounding;
 
 6     [(4)] (D)  The recommendation of the division of consumer
 
 7                advocacy of the department of commerce and
 
 8                consumer affairs, which shall be based on an
 
 9                evaluation of the factors set forth under this
 
10                subsection; and
 
11     [(5)] (E)  Any other relevant factors[.]; and
 
12      (2)  The public utilities commission shall not authorize the
 
13           placement, construction, erection, or building of any
 
14           forty-six kilovolt or greater high-voltage electric
 
15           transmission system in a residentially-zoned area or
 
16           within three hundred feet of any public or private
 
17           school grounds or any licensed child care facility,
 
18           unless the electric transmission system is placed
 
19           underground and insulated against electro-magnetic
 
20           field emissions."
 
21      SECTION 2.  This Act shall apply to all applications for
 
22 approval to place, construct, erect, or otherwise build a new
 
23 forty-six kilovolt or greater high-voltage electric transmission
 
24 system, including all applications that were approved by the
 

 
Page 3                                                     756
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 public utilities commission prior to the effective date of this
 
 2 Act, but shall not apply to any high-voltage electric
 
 3 transmission system that has been completed with the approval of
 
 4 the public utilities commission, in accordance with law.
 
 5      SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 6 New statutory material is underscored.
 
 7      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.