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             California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 5301            San Francisco, CA 94102
CONTACT: Dianne Dienstein            November 6, 1996   CPUC - 88
         415-703-2423                               (I.95-02-015)

    CPUC PROPOSES ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION INSPECTION STANDARDS

    The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today
proposed inspection intervals for overhead and underground
electric distribution facilities.
    Following investigation of Pacific Gas & Electric's
performance during severe storms in early 1995, the Commission
concluded it needed to set uniform standards to judge electric
utility inspection and maintenance of distribution facilities.
The standards would apply to Pacific Gas & Electric, Sierra
Pacific Power, Pacific Power and Light, San Diego Gas & Electric,
and Southern California Edison.  Commission initiative in this
matter was endorsed by recently-enacted Assembly Bill 1890 which
requires the Commission to adopt such standards no later than
March 1997.
    The proposed standards would require utilities to make
certain types of inspections within set annual cycles and, as
such, are prescriptive.  These prescriptive standards will be a
component part of the Commission's larger enforceable reliability
measures.
    The proposed inspection cycles are:
O  Patrol by foot, vehicle, or aircraft to identify obvious
   hazards such as leaning poles, vandalized equipment, stray
   wires, and vegetation that threatens power lines annually in
   urban areas and at two-year intervals in rural areas.
O  Detailed inspections of major overhead distribution facilities
   every five years.
O  Detailed inspections of major underground facilities every
   three years.
                            - more -
O  Detailed inspections for pad-mounted facilities every five
   years.
O  Invasive inspection of poles older than 15 years every 10
   years.
    Utilities would be required to submit an annual report to the
Commission on their compliance with the inspection standards, and
the reports would be available to the public.
    The Commission also indicated that its next step is to
address standards for emergency situations and disasters
applicable to all public and private electric utilities.
    No later than July 1, 1998, each utility is to file with the
Commission a performance-based ratemaking approach based on a
balanced reward/penalty rate mechanism of no more than $10
million, for maintenance, repair and replacement of major
facilities.
    Parties have 25 days to comment on the proposed standards.
After considering the comments, the Commission will adopt final
standards.


Standards in Effect or Being Considered

    Earlier this year, the Commission established:
O  reporting and recording requirements for electric system
   reliability and individual circuits that persistently perform
   poorly.
O  procedures for utility reporting of accidents and incidents
   which affect public safety or system reliability.
O  requirements for utility submission of their emergency
   response plans to the Commission.


    In addition, the Commission has proposed standards for tree
trimming and vegetation management around utility distribution
and transmission facilities in urban and suburban areas.

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