STAND. COM. REP. NO.  235

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2023

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1151

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1151 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require electric utilities and gas utilities to submit proposed capital expenditures for certain projects to the Public Utilities Commission for review and determination as to whether the project may be included in the utilities' rate base.

 

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Public Utilities Commission, Hawaiian Electric, and Hawaii Gas.

 

     Your Committee finds that existing law is silent regarding the process for electric and gas utilities to submit capital improvement proposals for projects relating to plant replacement, expansion, or modernization.  This measure seeks to codify such a process based on a previous threshold amount set by the Public Utilities Commission by General Order.

 

     Your Committee notes the concerns of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs that if passed, this measure would increase the number of capital improvement projects submitted for the Public Utilities Commission to review, thereby increasing the Commission's and Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' workload by having to review projects that will not have a significant impact on rates.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  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 Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1151, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1151, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair