2013 -- H 5935

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LC02123

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - MUNICIPAL STREETLIGHT

INVESTMENT ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Walsh, Tanzi, Valencia, and Chippendale

     Date Introduced: March 27, 2013

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 39 of the General Laws entitled "PUBLIC UTILITIES AND

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CARRIERS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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     CHAPTER 29

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MUNICIPAL STREETLIGHT INVESTMENT ACT

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     39-29-1. Findings and purposes – (a) The Rhode Island general assembly finds and

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declares that:

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     (1) Taxpayers are mandated to pay the electric distribution company large sums every

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year to light municipal and many state-owned streets;

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     (2) Municipalities are limited in how they can manage this public safety resource because

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they do not own or control the light fixtures within their borders;

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     (3) There is no incentive in the applicable electric rate tariff for installing energy efficient

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lighting technologies that may reduce both power and maintenance expenses;

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     (4) There is no provision in the applicable electric rate tariff for municipalities to work

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collectively to manage the maintenance of the street lighting system; and

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     (5) Municipalities around the country have saved considerable resources by purchasing

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their streetlight systems from electric distribution companies and contracting for the maintenance

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independently.

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     (b) Now, therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to reduce municipal street lighting costs

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and improve service to citizens by:

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     (1) Improving public safety with street lights that provide better illumination;

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     (2) Reducing maintenance costs by allowing municipalities to own the street and area

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lighting within their borders and to enter into regional maintenance service contracts;

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     (3) Reducing whole-system cost through municipal ownership and regional management

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and by eliminating the current "facilities charge;"

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     (4) Providing innovative and proven technologies for more efficient lighting; and

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     (5) Providing more responsive service for lighting repairs.

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     39-29-2. Definitions. -- When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the

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following meanings:

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     (1) "Office" means the Office of Energy Resources.

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     (2) "Electric distribution company" means a company defined in subdivision 39-1-2(12),

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supplying standard offer service, last resort service, or any successor service to end-use

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customers, but not including the Block Island Power Company or the Pascoag Utility District.

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     (3) "Lighting equipment" means all equipment used to light streets including lighting

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ballasts, fixtures, and other equipment necessary for the conversion of electric energy into street

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lighting service, but excluding the utility poles upon which the lighting equipment is fixed.

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Lighting equipment shall include, but not be limited to, decorative street and area lighting

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equipment and solid-state (LED) lighting technologies.

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     39-29-3. Streetlight investment. -- (a) Any city or town receiving street lighting service

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from an electric distribution company pursuant to an electric rate tariff providing for the use by

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such municipality of lighting equipment owned by the electric distribution company, at its option,

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upon sixty (60) days notice to the electric company and to the department, and subject to the

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provisions of subsections (b) through (e), may:

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     (1) Convert its street lighting service from the subject tariff rate to an alternative tariff

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rate providing for delivery service by the electric distribution company of electric energy,

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whether or not supplied by the electric distribution company, over distribution facilities and wires

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owned by the electric distribution company to lighting equipment owned or leased by the

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municipality, and further providing for the use by such municipality of the space on any pole,

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lamp post, or other mounting surface previously used by the electric distribution company for the

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mounting of the lighting equipment. The alternative tariff rate shall provide for monthly bills for

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street and area lighting that shall include a schedule of energy charges based on a determination

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annual kilowatt-hour usage per lumen rating or nominal wattage of all types of lighting

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equipment, but shall not include facility, support, maintenance, or accessory charges. The new

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tariff shall use existing usage calculation methods and existing rates for any currently existing

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lighting equipment, only setting reasonable new rates for newly adopted lighting equipment. The

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new tariff shall be structured so as to allow options for various street lighting controls, including

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both conventional dusk/dawn operation using photocell or scheduling controls, as well as

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schedule-based dimming or on/off controls that dim or turn off street lights during periods of low

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activity. The electric distribution company, in consultation with the office, shall file the new tariff

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with the public utilities commission within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this chapter and

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the commission shall then issue a decision within sixty (60) days after the filing to effectuate the

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purposes and provisions of this chapter.

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     (2) Purchase electric energy for use in such municipal lighting equipment from the

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electric distribution company or any other person allowed by law to provide electric energy; and

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     (3) Acquire some or all of the public street and area lighting equipment of the electric

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distribution company in the municipality, compensating the electric distribution company as

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necessary, in accordance with subsection (b).

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     (b) Any municipality exercising the option to convert some or all of its street lighting

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service pursuant to subsection (a) must compensate the electric distribution company for the

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original cost, less depreciation and less amortization, of any active or inactive existing public

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lighting equipment owned by the electric distribution company and installed in the municipality

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as of the date the municipality exercises its right of acquisition pursuant to subsection (a), net of

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any salvage value. Upon such payment, the municipality shall have the right to use, alter, remove,

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or replace such acquired lighting equipment in any way the municipality deems appropriate. The

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municipality may also request that the electric company remove any part of such lighting

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equipment that it does not acquire from the electric distribution company in which case the

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municipality shall reimburse the electric distribution company the cost of removal by the electric

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distribution company, along with the original cost, less depreciation, of the removed part, net of

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any salvage value.

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     (c) When a municipality exercises its option pursuant to this subsection, the municipality

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will notify the electric distribution company of any alterations to street and area lighting

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inventory within thirty (30) days of the alteration. The electric distribution company will then

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adjust its monthly billing determinations to reflect the alteration within thirty (30) days.

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     (d) When a municipality exercises its option pursuant to subsection (a), anyone other than

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the electric distribution company controlling the right to use space on any pole, lamp post, or

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other mounting surface previously used by the electric distribution company in such municipality

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shall allow the municipality to assume the rights and obligations of the electric distribution

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company with respect to such space for the unexpired term of any lease, easement, or other

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agreement under which the electric distribution company used such space; provided, however,

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that in the assumption of the rights and obligations of the electric distribution company by such a

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municipality, such municipality shall in no way or form restrict, impede, or prohibit universal

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access for the provision of electric and other services.

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     (e) Any dispute regarding the terms of the alternative tariff, the compensation to be paid

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the electric distribution company, or any other matter arising in connection with the exercise of

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the option provided in subsection (a), including, but not limited to, the terms on which space is to

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be provided to the municipality in accordance with subsection (c), shall be resolved by the

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division of public utilities and carriers within sixty (60) days of any request for such resolution by

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the municipality or any person involved in such dispute.

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     (f) Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, any

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affiliate of any electric distribution company whose street lighting service is converted by any

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municipality in accordance with the provisions of this section may solicit and compete for the

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business of any such municipality for the provision of lighting equipment or any other service

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such as equipment maintenance in connection therewith.

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     39-29-4. Liberal construction. -- The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally

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construed to give effect to the purposes thereof.

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     39-29-5. Severability. -- If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any

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person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or

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applications of the chapter, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application,

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and to this end the provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02123

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - MUNICIPAL STREETLIGHT

INVESTMENT ACT

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     This act would establish a procedure to allow municipalities to purchase, rather than rent,

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their street lights for the purpose of reducing municipal street lighting costs.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02123

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