Pole Attachments and Joint Use for Investor-Owned Utilities

July 31, 2024 | Online :: Central Time

0724-pole-attachments

EUCI’s Utility Pole Attachments and Joint Use course is designed to empower investor-owned utilities (IOUs) in navigating the complexities of pole attachments and joint use. The course addresses common misconceptions of pole attachments and joint use and provides comprehensive insights to facilitate safe and efficient access to poles for broadband infrastructure.

Participants will gain valuable knowledge on topics such as:

• Make-ready processes
• Pole attachment rates
• Enforcement
• Key contractual considerations
• Unique challenges posed by wireless attachments

By the end of the course, IOU attendees will be equipped with the necessary expertise to actively participate in broadband deployment and ensure the smooth operation of their systems while supporting the growing demand for universal broadband access.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify and dispel common misconceptions in the pole attachment domain, such as the perceived barriers posed by electric utilities and the costs associated with pole attachment fees
• Review make-ready processes, including timelines, fees, and the implementation of self-help and One Touch Make-Ready approaches
• Evaluate and negotiate rates effectively in joint use agreements, considering the unique challenges and considerations for IOUs
• Enforce pole attachment agreements, including addressing unauthorized attachments, safety violations, and managing pole transfers
• Review key legal aspects of pole attachment agreements, including indemnification, bonds, insurance, and assignment, while also understanding the need for a separate addendum to address wireless attachments

 

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 : Central Time

 

Utility Broadband Deployment

• The need for broadband
• Grants and funding
• Potential challenges

Misperceptions in Investor-Owned Utility Pole Attachments

• All Communication Companies are Not Equal
  • ILECs
  • CLECs
  • CATV
  • Broadband Providers
  • Antenna Companies
• Electric Utilities are not a Barrier to Broadband Deployment
  • Pole attachment fees
  • Make-ready
  • Upgrades to infrastructure
• Make-Ready Is Not Easy
  • Working with Communication Companies
  • Make-ready engineering
  • The NESC standards
  • Permitting
  • One Touch Make-Ready
  • Communication companies use of electric company’s easement
  • Notice and overlashing
• Safety Considerations and Violations
  • Should we do a safety inspection?
• Joint Use
  • Tree trimming
  • Ground line treatment
  • ILEC payments
  • Rate changes
  • Terms and conditions
• Wireless Attachments
  • In-line antennas
  • FCC compliance for RF
  • Wireless rates

History of Investor-Owned Utility Pole Attachments

• 1996 Telecom Act
  • Challenges with ILECs
  • Section 224 exclusion of ILECs
  • Cable rates for mom-and-pop cable companies
  • Telecom rate for all attachments
• Addition of timelines: Kentucky co-op slow to make-ready
• Cable neutralizes telecom rate
• ILECs no longer excluded from Section 224
• FCC regulation: wireless attachments
• Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC)
  • One Touch Make-Ready
  • Notice for overlashing
  • What happens to attachments when code violations haven’t been corrected
  • Lack of ILEC rate clarification
• Make-Ready
• Reverse Preemption

Utility Pole Attachment Contracts

• Key Definitions
  • A pole
  • A service
  • “Deemed approved”
• Contract Must-Haves
  • The pole owner can deny access for safety, engineering and reliability
  • Rates
  • Term
  • Make-ready process
    • Timelines
    • Fees
    • Self-help
    • One Touch Make-Ready
  • Enforcement
    • Unauthorized attachments
    • Safety violations
    • Pole transfers
  • Attorney Role
    • Indemnification
    • Bonds and Insurance
    • Assignment
• Wireless Addendum to Pole Attachment Agreement

Case Study: Utility Pole Attachment Permitting Technology with Georgia Power

Allen Bell, Retired, Georgia Power

Allen Bell retired from Georgia Power in 2020 after a 37-year career. While at Georgia Power he worked in nuclear construction, customer operations, distribution engineering, regulatory affairs and spent the last 16 years of his career as the Joint Use manager. Allen represented Southern Company at the Federal Communications Commission in rule makings starting in 2004 advocating on behalf of investor-owned utilities. In 2017 Allen was appointed to the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee as the only investor-owned utility representative on the 36-member committee. The BDAC among other initiatives developed the framework for One Touch Make-Ready that is used by most states today. In 2020, immediately after his retirement, Allen served as an expert witness for the Georgia Electric Cooperatives in the Georgia Public Service Commission’s hearings on the Georgia Broadband Opportunity Act (HB 244). Since his retirement Allen is still under contract with Georgia Power in an advisory capacity on pole attachment and damage prevention issues and contracts with TRC as a contract analyst.

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Lorinda Selby, Joint Use Systems and Billing Administrator, Georgia Power

Lorinda Selby is currently the Joint Use Systems and Billing Administrator for Georgia Power. She has spent the past 22 years of her 35-year career at Georgia Power in Joint Use. Where she leads a team of billing analyst, works on developing and implementing new enhancements to JUMS (Joint Use Management System), and defining processes and procedures for Joint Use.

She is the current Chair of the Southeastern Electric Exchange Joint Use committee and is considered a subject matter expert in the areas of Joint Use application development, pole attachment billing, and writing processes and procedures.

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a separate email with a unique link to a personalized landing page which will include links to join all sessions of this event.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Please Note: This event is being conducted entirely online. All attendees will connect and attend from their computer, one connection per purchase. For details please see our FAQ

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all attendees for 7 days after the event

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Pole Attachments and Joint Use for Investor-Owned Utilities

July 31, 2024 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before June 28, 2024 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.6 CEUs for this course.

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must log in / sign-in each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

Power point presentation, open discussion

 

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Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Course CPE Credits: 7.0
There is no prerequisite for this Course.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preperation: None

EUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

Who Should Attend:

Investor-Owned Utility employees:

• Engineering Managers
• Operations Managers
• Construction Managers
• Distribution Engineers
• Joint-Use Managers
• Finance and Accounting staff responsible for joint use and licensee billing