Double Poles

Hawaiian Electric owns an estimated 168,206 utility poles, which support electricity distribution as well as provide the infrastructure for telecommunications service providers to distribute internet, telephone, cable television, and street and traffic light services.

A “Double Pole” situation is created when an older utility pole is replaced, and all or some of the lines and equipment (i.e., telecom equipment, street and traffic lights) from the older pole have not yet been transferred to the new pole. As a result, two utility poles exist where there used to be only one utility pole, until all equipment can be moved to the new pole and the old pole is removed.

When a double pole is created, all stakeholders (County, State, Charter, Hawaiian Telcom, Lumen, Servpac, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) are informed to complete their transfers in order for the old pole to be removed.

Our Double Pole Removal Plans

Hawaiian Electric agreed to ensure removal of all double poles that were identified in a 2018 audit by 2028, pursuant to a Decision and Order issued by the Public Utilities Commission in Docket No. 2018-0075. Double poles identified by this audit are referred to as “backlog” poles. Double poles created after this audit and that are created on a continual basis whenever existing poles are replaced are referred to as “preventive” or “post-audit” poles.

Hawaiian Electric has provided its “Double Pole Removal Plans,” located in Exhibit C of the Application Verification, which highlights both its short-term and long-term plans regarding these backlog poles. In its short-term plans, Hawaiian Electric estimates that by the end of 2024, it will have removed its targeted 1,296 backlog standard transfer double poles. For the long term, Hawaiian Electric is targeting to remove 1,305 backlog standard transfer double poles in years 2025 through 2027, and 1,269 poles in 2028, with the final goal of all backlog standard transfers to be completed by the end of 2028.

View Our Progress

Backlog and Preventive Double Poles

Double poles are split into two situations:

• A “backlog” double pole is a double pole situation that was created before October 16, 2018 (the date on which Hawaiian Electric acquired ownership of the communications space on utility poles).
• A “preventive” double pole is a situation created after October 16, 2018, in which existing poles are replaced due to maintenance and telecom attachments are not transferred over.

Standard and Non-Standard Transfers

Resources and Bi-Annual Reports