(1) Application and Scope. The purpose of this rule is to define certain reporting requirements by municipal electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives providing distribution service to end-use customers in Florida.
    (2) The reports required by subsections (3) of this rule shall be filed with the Commission Clerk by March 1, 2021, and every three years thereafter for the three preceding calendar years. The reports required by subsections (4) and (5) of this rule shall be filed with the Commission Clerk by March 1 of each year for the preceding calendar year.
    (3) Standards of Construction. Each municipal electric utility and rural electric cooperative shall report the extent to which its construction standards, policies, practices, and procedures are designed to address the ability of transmission and distribution facilities to mitigate damage caused by extreme weather. Each utility report shall, at a minimum, address the extent to which its construction standards, policies, guidelines, practices, and procedures:
    (a) Comply, at a minimum, with the procedures set forth in Fl. Admin. Code R. 25-6.0345
    (b) Are guided by the extreme wind loading standards specified by the procedures set forth in Fl. Admin. Code R. 25-6.0345, for:
    1. New construction;
    2. Major planned work, including expansion, rebuild, or relocation of existing facilities, assigned on or after the effective date of this rule; and
    3. Targeted critical infrastructure facilities and major thoroughfares taking into account political and geographical boundaries and other applicable operational considerations.
    (c) Address the effects of flooding and storm surges on underground distribution facilities and supporting overhead facilities.
    (d) Provide for placement of new and replacement distribution facilities so as to facilitate safe and efficient access for installation and maintenance.
    (e) Include written safety, pole reliability, pole loading capacity, and engineering standards and procedures for attachments by others to the utility’s electric transmission and distribution poles.
    (4) Facility Inspections. Each municipal electric utility and rural electric cooperative shall report, at a minimum, the following information pertaining to its transmission and distribution facilities:
    (a) A description of the utility’s policies, guidelines, practices, and procedures for inspecting transmission and distribution lines, poles, and structures including, but not limited to, pole inspection cycles and pole selection process.
    (b) The number and percentage of transmission and distribution inspections planned and completed.
    (c) The number and percentage of transmission poles and structures and distribution poles failing inspection and the reason for the failure.
    (d) The number and percentage of transmission poles and structures and distribution poles, by pole type and class of structure, replaced or for which remediation was taken after inspection, including a description of the remediation taken.
    (5) Vegetation Management. Each municipal electric utility and rural electric cooperative shall report, at a minimum, the following information pertaining to the utility’s vegetation management efforts:
    (a) A description of the utility’s policies, guidelines, practices, and procedures for vegetation management, including programs addressing appropriate planting, landscaping, and problem tree removal practices for vegetation management outside of road right-of-ways or easements, and an explanation as to why the utility believes its vegetation management practices are sufficient.
    (b) The quantity, level, and scope of vegetation management planned and completed for transmission and distribution facilities.
Rulemaking Authority Florida Statutes § 350.127(2), 366.05(1) FS. Law Implemented 366.04(2)(f), (6) FS. History-New 12-10-06, Amended 12-10-20.