Utah Broadband Advisory CouncilJoint Use of Poles

Jeff Kent – Director Distribution SupportSalt Lake City ‐ August 20, 2015

About PacifiCorp• The company is comprised of three business units: Rocky Mountain Power, Pacific Power, PacifiCorp Transmission 

• 1.8 million customers

• 5,900 employees

• 143,000-square-mile service area

• Six states – Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah

• 11,136 MW of generation

• 1.1 million distribution poles

• 367 attaching entities

• 790,200 attachments

• Tenant on 55 other pole owners, 47,402 attachments 2

Rocky Mountain Power Joint Use Utah Statistics

• 344,140 distribution poles

• 66 attaching entities

• 267,863 attachments

• Tenant on 8 other pole owners, 9,716 attachments

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Joint Use Basics• What is joint use?

– Sharing of poles by two or more providers for the safe and efficient use of the right of way

• Power, Phone, Cable TV, Telecom, Wireless

• PacifiCorp’s Joint Use Group– Accountable for all joint use administrative, policy and cost recovery activity in support of Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power for third party pole attachments

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Joint Use BasicsTypical joint use attachments

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Joint Use BasicsRegulations

• FCC ‐ 47 U.S. Code § 224 ‐ Pole attachments– http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/USCODE‐2011‐title47/USCODE‐

2011‐title47‐chap5‐subchapII‐partI‐sec224

• Utah Administrative Code – Rule R746‐345– http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r746/r746‐345.htm#T5

• Rights of access to distribution poles– “…a public utility, wireless provider, cable television company, communications company, or other entity that provides information or telecommunications services…”

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Joint Use BasicsContracts

– Must have an executed pole attachment contract with pole owner

• Rates, fees, terms and conditions• Credit status and security considerations• Insurance• Indemnification

– Statement of Generally Available Terms (SGAT)• Commission approved “Safe Harbor” agreement

– http://www.psc.state.ut.us/utilities/electric/00%20thru%2010/10docs/1003597/239851Revised%20Safe%20Harbor%20Pole%20Attachment%20Agreement%2012‐3‐2012.docx

– Negotiated RMP template agreements• Requires Utah PSC approval, post execution

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Joint Use BasicsContracts

– Types of contracts available from Rocky Mountain Power• Licensee only• Reciprocal• Wireless• Pole Specific

– Commission approved rates; Electric Service Schedule No. 4:

• https://www.rockymountainpower.net/content/dam/rocky_mountain_power/doc/About_Us/Rates_and_Regulation/Utah/Approved_Tariffs/Rate_Schedules/Pole_Attachments.pdf

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Joint Use BasicsPermitting

– Must submit applications to attach to each pole• Engineering details• ‘Notify’ system for submitting applications to attach

– Must receive approval from pole owner prior to attaching to any pole

• Access may be denied for insufficient capacity, safety or engineering reasons

– Exceptions to prior approval• Service drops• Limited overlashing

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Joint Use BasicsCompliance

– Must install and maintain attachments in compliance at all times with:

• Contract terms• Approved permit• National Electrical Safety Code• Federal, Local and State requirements• Pole owner standards

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Joint Use Challenges• Education and training

– Contract provisions– Joint use processes and systems– Internal and external points of contact– National Electrical Safety Code

• Advance planning– Contract negotiations– Timeframes for approval of applications to attach– Timeframes for make‐ready work– Timeframes for construction– Electric service requirements

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Joint Use Challenges• Coordination between existing attaching entities• Ongoing maintenance budget and resources

– Responsiveness to pole owner notifications– Inspection and corrective maintenance programs

• Timely payment of Invoices

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Contact Information• jointusecontracts@PacifiCorp.com

– Diana Winchester – Manager Joint Use Contracts

• jointuse@PacifiCorp.com– Lisa Walker – Manager Joint Use Services

• jointusehelp@PacifiCorp.com– Tami Katzmarek – Senior Business Analyst

• jointusebilling@PacifiCorp.com– Mary McArthur – Manager Billing/Cost Recovery

• Tori.Bennett@PacifiCorp.com– Manager Distribution – Field Inspection Support

• Jeffrey.Kent@PacifiCorp.com– Director Distribution Support – Joint Use

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Additional Resources• Pacific Power & Rocky Mountain Power six state electric service 

requirements– https://www.rockymountainpower.net/content/dam/pacific_power/doc/Contractors_Suppliers/Elect

ric_Service_Requirements/Six‐State_ESR.pdf

• Western Energy Institute – 2015 Joint Use Conference– http://www.westernenergymembers.org/Scripts/4Disapi.dll/4DCGI/events/616.html?Action=Confer

ence_Detail&ConfID_W=616&

• OSHA 1920.268 – Telecommunications– https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9867

• OSHA 1920.269 – Electric power generation, transmission, distribution– https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9868

• Oregon Joint Use Association– http://www.ojua.org/

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