PURA Reviews of EDC Performance
DOCKET No. 20-08-03, INVESTIGATION INTO ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES’ PREPARATION FOR AND RESPONSE TO TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS
GCNH Comments, October 19, 2020
GCNH Comments, October 19, 2020
The Final Decision in Docket No. 20-08-03 was issued on April 28, 2021. PURA then reopened Docket No. 08-03RE01 to consider civil penalties and enforcement actions, resulting in imposition of such in a Final Decision in Docket No.20-08-03RE01 on July 14, 2021
PURA issued a Draft Decision on March 19, 2021, which faults Eversource especially, for failure to prepare, failures in communication and failures in "make safe" work to clear blocked roads. The decision does not address comments on tree pruning and removal practices or comments in favor of undergrounding filed by the public. The deadline for the parties to file exceptions to the draft decision is April 12, 2021 and the final decision will be issued on April 19.
DOCKET NO. 19-01-24, BIENNIAL REVIEW OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
PURA is required to submit a biennial review of the vegetation management practices of the electric distribution companies to the General Assembly's Energy and Technology Committee, pursuant to Section 16-32k, C.G.S.
Numerous comments were submitted to this docket, including by GCNH, objecting to the use of Targeted Risk Management (TRM) by United Illuminating. The issues raised were deferred to consideration in Docket No. 18-12-25. The report's primary focus is on an examination of vegetation management processes and practices for distribution lines. It also covers vegetation management on transmission line rights-of-ways, which are typically governed by private easements on the property granted to the utlility for maintenance.
With regard to vegetation management on distribution lines, the report concluded: "Data on property owner responses to proposed EDC VM [vegetation management] work in 2018 shows 92.7% of CL&P’s customers consenting to the proposed VM work, 4.7% modifying the proposed work and 1.9% objecting entirely to the work. Similarly, data on property owner response to UI proposed VM work is positive and indicated that 88% of UI customers consent to proposed VM work, 10.6% modifying the proposed work and 1.2% objecting entirely to the work." For more detailed information, consult the decision.