Utility Pole Safety

The CPUC has considered utility pole safety issues in various proceedings. On this page you will find summary information on utility pole safety work.

One of the actions the CPUC has taken is to examine whether the existing stock of utility poles and underground conduits in the state have sufficient space to support ubiquitous, competitive, and affordable telecommunications services, while keeping the pole and conduit infrastructure safe for residents, workers, and the environment. The CPUC is also considering creating a database that will allow stakeholders to share key information about utility poles with each other and the CPUC. Read more in our press release. 

Utility Pole Workshop

The CPUC will hold a two-day workshop in its proceeding to consider a convenient, straightforward, and easy way for people to access (potentially, using a portal and/or database) the inventory information of utility poles and conduits in California. Additionally, the workshop will consider how best to complete a statewide pole census, and the possible means for and uses of a shared asset management database, data platform, and/or work-tracking software. Related to these objectives and goal, the workshop will consider the following: 1) the problems that need to be solved; 2) proposed solutions, alternatives and other strategies; 3) implementation; 4) other challenges; and 5) cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness and cost recovery issues. Previously state Use Cases will be presented to initiated dialogue and to collect input and feedback to refine and pair the Data Fields with the Use Cases.

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