I. INTRODUCTION
Public Utilities Code Section 315 directs the Public Utilities Commission (Commission) to investigate the cause of all accidents occurring upon the property of public utilities in California. The Commission's Consumer Services Division (CSD) is charged with investigating electrical accidents and making recommendations to the Commission with respect to utilities' compliance with the Commission's requirements.
The Commission's General Orders (GO) 95 (Rules for Overhead Electric Line Construction), GO128 (Rules for Construction of Underground Electric Supply and Communication Systems), and GO165 (Inspection Cycles for Electric Distribution Facilities), specify the requirements for the construction, operation and maintenance of overhead and underground utility systems. The Commission is charged with the enforcement of GO95, GO128, and GO165.
The CSD has been monitoring Southern California Edison Company's (SCE) construction, operation and maintenance practices by conducting GO95, GO128, and GO165 compliance inspections of electrical facilities in SCE's service territory and by investigating electric accidents involving SCE facilities. Based on this activity, CSD has prepared a report. As further described below, CSD's report finds that in the past three years (1998-2000), there have been 37 electric accidents involving SCE violations of GO95, GO128, or GO1651. In addition, during routine inspections, CSD staff discovered 4,044 SCE violations of GO95 requirements on poles in SCE's service territory and 677 violations of GO128 requirements in SCE owned underground and pad-mounted structures.
Based on the findings in CSD's report, which are summarized below, we initiate this investigation. The series of serious injuries involving SCE's facilities, coupled with staff's finding a continuing pattern of a high level of violations during inspections, are cause for serious concern. This agency is pro-active in the direct enforcement of regulations that have been adopted to protect the safety of the public and utility employees. Initiating this formal proceeding, which is similar to earlier investigations into tree-line clearances of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company and San Diego Gas & Electric, is the means to provide a forum for direct enforcement to protect public safety.
1 During the same period, CSD has investigated numerous other SCE accidents where violations were found, but were not directly related to the accidents, or there was not sufficient evidence available to CSD staff to establish a violation.
