HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

71

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the public utilities commission to investigate hawaiian electric company's response to the power outage resulting from the october 15, 2006, earthquakes.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, during the early morning on October 15, 2006, two large earthquakes occurred within minutes of each other off the coast of the island of Hawai‘i; and

 

     WHEREAS, the earthquakes' effects were felt across the State, including the island of Oahu; and

 

     WHEREAS, minutes after the second earthquake ended, an electrical power outage occurred across the entire island of Oahu; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Electric Company's (HECO) response in restoring power seemed unreasonably slow, and hundreds of thousands of HECO's customers were left without power for up to a day following the earthquake; and

 

     WHEREAS, residents on Oahu and customers of Hawaiian Electric Company are understandably concerned about the causes of the power outage, the lengthy duration of the power outage, and efforts that can be taken to prevent future power outages of this scope and magnitude; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to conduct an investigation of the management, procedures, and practices of the Hawaiian Electric Company with regard to its response to the October 15, 2006, earthquakes and resulting power outage; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to include in its investigation an examination of the timeliness and appropriateness of HECO's response and measures to be taken to improve response in the future; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public Utilities Commission is requested to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature not later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, the Director of Finance, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaiian Electric Company.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Fiscal and Management Audit of the Public Utilities Commission