To: Board of Supervisors
From: Public Works
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
City of Eureka Request for Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Rule 20A Funding Transfer; Rescind Resolution 19-12; Adopt Resolution establishing an Undergrounding Utility District in Garberville; and Receipt of Annual Work Credit Summary from Pacific Gas and Electric Company
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Authorize the Public Works Director and PG&E to transfer $1,500,000 from the county’s Rule 20A Funds to the City of Eureka;
2. Rescind Resolution 19-12 establishing an Underground Utility District in Garberville;
3. Adopt the attached resolution to establish an Underground Utility District in Garberville (Attachment 3); and
4. Receive and file the PG&E Annual Work Credit Summary (Attachment 1).
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
County of Humboldt Rule 20A Utility Undergrounding Fund.
DISCUSSION:
The County of Humboldt currently has $2,936,134 in work credits available through PG&E for undergrounding of overhead utility lines (Attachment 1). The funds are derived from tariffs that are calculated based upon 50 percent of the number of PG&E overhead electric meters and 50 percent of the total electric meters within each community. The funds can only be used for the purpose of undergrounding utilities and only when meeting criteria established by the California Public Utililities Commission.
The county has historically assisted cities within the county with work credit transfers to perform undergrounding projects. The City of Eureka’s annual allocations are insufficient to move large projects forward on their own without assistance from the county. The City of Eureka is currently working with PG&E on an undergrounding project on 4th Street (Southbound Hwy 101) and has requested a work credit transfer of $1,500,000 from the county to supplement their available work credits of $4,200,000 to complete this project in designated Underground Utility District 11 (Attachment 2).
On February 5, 2019, the county adopted a resolution establishing an underground utility district in Garberville. PG&E has informed the county that the resolution is missing certain required language. As such, staff request your Board to rescind Resolution 19-12 and to adopt the proposed resolution (Attachment 3) which will satisfy PG&E and allow the project to move forward.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding for the district is provided through Rule 20A Electric Underground Work Credits that are managed by PG&E. The transfer of $1,500,000 work credits to the City of Eureka will leave the county with a total uncommited balance of $1,436,134 (Attachment 5). This balance is sufficient for the Garberville Town Square undergrounding project as planned in the County’s Utility Conversion Plan (Attachment 4), as revised by the Board of Supervisors on October 22, 2013. There is no impact to the General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by providing for and maintaining infrastructure.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
PG&E
City of Eureka
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board of Supervisors may not approve the work credit transfer to the City of Eureka. This alternative is not recommended as it will compromise the ability for the City of Eureka to complete their project and would result in not undertaking the underground project in Garberville that the community has requested.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - PG&E Rule 20A 2019 Allocation and Work Credit Account Balance
Attachment 2 - City of Eureka Underground Utilities Rule 20A Funding Request and Resolution 2017-21 Designating Underground Utility District 11
Attachment 3 - Proposed Resolution
Attachment 4 - Utility Conversion Plan
Attachment 5 - Work Credit Accounting
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-6, C-19
Meeting of: 10/22/2013, 02/05/2019
File No.: N/A, 18-1175