STAND. COM. REP. NO.  670

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 848

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 848, H.D. 1, 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.

Life of the Land, Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiary utilities, Maui Electric Company and Hawaii Electric Light Company opposed this measure.  The Public Utilities Commission, University of Hawaii, and a concerned individual offered comments.   

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting language that:

          (A)  Clarified that an electric utility can assess microgrid-related charges to a public higher education institution; and

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

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050; 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 Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 848, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 848, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair