The California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC's) General Order 165
Vault Inspection Program ensures that distribution equipment in
underground vaults on private property is safe and properly
maintained. The CPUC's General Order 165 requires utilities to
inspect these vaults every three years and PWP has adopted this program.
Many Pasadena businesses and multi-family housing complexes have such
vaults on their premises, housing additional high-voltage equipment to
meet the power needs of their facilities. While checking the
equipment, PWP's electric crews also look for any unsafe conditions,
including lack of ventilation, intruding water, or overgrown shrubs or
obstacles blocking the entrance.
While PWP maintains the equipment inside the vaults, customers are
required to install and maintain the enclosure. High and low voltage
conduits and venting ducts must also be maintained if the vault is on
private property. All vaults must meet safety codes, and they should
allow for access by PWP crews. (If a vault is not maintained,
equipment damage could cause an outage not only for the customer, but for
neighbors as well.) Customers are also required to post high-voltage
warning signs.
If you have a vault on your premises,
please read PWP's Vault
Owner's Guide for more information on your responsibilities, codes
and regulations, and safety.
