STAND. COM. REP. NO.  227

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 848

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 848 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY MODERNIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to exempt microgrids that promote and serve public higher education institutions from regulation as a public utility by the Public Utilities Commission.

The University of Hawaii, Sierra Club of Hawaii, Energy Research Systems, Young Progressives Demanding Action Hawaii, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  Life of the Land supported the intent of this measure.  Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiaries Maui Electric Company and Hawaii Electric Light Company testified in opposition.  The Public Utilities Commission provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that an electric utility can assess microgrid-related charges to a public higher education institution;

     (2)  Appropriating funds for the University of Hawaii to build transmission and distribution lines to connect energy projects on multiple parcels of land; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 848, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 848, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair