| 1 | 1 | | 81R11354 TRH-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Coleman H.B. No. 3381 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the regulation of the maintenance of telephone and |
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| 8 | 8 | | electric utility poles. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Title 5, Utilities Code, is amended by adding |
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| 11 | 11 | | Chapter 252 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | CHAPTER 252. UTILITY POLE SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 252.001. MAINTENANCE OF UTILITY POLES. (a) An |
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| 14 | 14 | | electric utility or telecommunications utility shall inspect: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) each wooden transmission pole in the utility's |
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| 16 | 16 | | service area for damage every two years; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) each wooden distribution pole in the utility's |
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| 18 | 18 | | service area for damage every eight years; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | (3) transmission circuits each year. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) On discovery of a damaged transmission or distribution |
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| 21 | 21 | | pole, an electric utility or telecommunications utility shall |
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| 22 | 22 | | replace the damaged pole with a metal pole. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (c) An electric utility or telecommunications utility shall |
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| 24 | 24 | | ensure that each utility pole located near a critical structure is a |
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| 25 | 25 | | metal pole. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (d) An electric utility or telecommunications utility shall |
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| 27 | 27 | | perform: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) an annual visual inspection of the utility's |
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| 29 | 29 | | transmission system; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) an annual infrared scan of the utility's |
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| 31 | 31 | | transmission system; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (3) an annual inspection of each distribution circuit; |
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| 33 | 33 | | and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (4) every five years, an inspection of the utility's |
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| 35 | 35 | | distribution system. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (e) An electric utility or telecommunications utility shall |
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| 37 | 37 | | establish a vegetation management cycle for the clearing of trees, |
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| 38 | 38 | | tree limbs, and other vegetative growth from utility line easements |
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| 39 | 39 | | and utility structures: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (1) annually, for vegetative growth located near a |
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| 41 | 41 | | transmission circuit; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) every three years, for vegetative growth located |
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| 43 | 43 | | near a distribution line. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (f) The commission shall adopt rules to enforce this |
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| 45 | 45 | | section. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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