Section 9511 Of Part 2. Utility Poles And Support Structures From California Public Utilities Code >> Division 4.8. >> Part 2.
9511
. (a) A local publicly owned electric utility shall make
appropriate space and capacity on and in a utility pole and support
structure owned or controlled by the local publicly owned electric
utility available for use by a communications service provider
pursuant to reasonable terms and conditions. Rates, terms, and
conditions that are specified in a contract executed before January
1, 2012, shall remain valid until the contract, rate, term, or
condition expires or is terminated according to its terms by one of
the parties. If an annual fee is included in a contract executed
before January 1, 2012, but the amount of the fee is left
unspecified, the requirements of Section 9512 apply.
(b) (1) A local publicly owned electric utility shall respond to a
request for use by a communications service provider of a utility
pole or support structure owned or controlled by the local publicly
owned electric utility within 45 days of the date of receipt of the
request, or 60 days if the request is to attach to over 300 poles. If
the request is denied, the local publicly owned electric utility
shall provide in the response the reason for the denial and the
remedy to gain access to the utility pole or support structure. If a
request to attach is accepted, the local publicly owned electric
utility, within 14 days after acceptance of the request, shall
provide a cost estimate, based on actual cost, for any necessary
make-ready work required to accommodate the attachment. The
requesting party shall accept or reject the make-ready cost estimate
within 14 days. Within 60 days of acceptance of the cost estimate,
the local publicly owned electric utility shall notify any existing
third-party attachers that make-ready work for a new attacher needs
to be performed. The requesting party shall have the responsibility
to coordinate with third-party existing attachers for make-ready work
to be completed. All parties shall complete all make-ready work
within 60 days of the notice, or within 105 days in the case of a
request to attach to over 300 poles. The local publicly owned
electric utility may complete make-ready work without the consent of
the existing attachers, if the existing attachers fail to move their
attachments by the end of the make-ready timeline requirements
specified in this paragraph.
(2) The timelines described in paragraph (1) may be extended under
special circumstances upon agreement of the local publicly owned
electric utility and the communications service provider.
(c) A local publicly owned electric utility may deny an
application for use of a utility pole or support structure because of
insufficient capacity or safety, reliability, or engineering
concerns. In denying an application, a local publicly owned electric
utility may also take into account the manner in which a request from
a communications service provider under this part could impact an
approved project for future use by the local publicly owned electric
utility of its utility poles or support structures for delivery of
its core utility service.
(d) This part does not limit the authority of a local publicly
owned electric utility to ensure compliance with all applicable
provisions of law in determining whether to approve or disapprove use
of a utility pole or support structure.