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City of Louisville Utility Line Undergrounding Policy The City of Louisville's franchise agreement with Xcel Energy requires that the company budget and allocate 1 % of the preceding year's electric gross revenues for Louisville to bury existing overhead facilities underground. To use the 1 % fund, the City must select projects with distribution or feeder utility lines (low or medium power) that are located in the right-of-way and are at least 750 feet in length. Additional equipment like transformers cannot be buried as that technology does not currently exist. To help determine the use of the 1 % fund for potential undergrounding projects, the City has adopted criteria to evaluate the benefits of such projects. At a minimum, all undergrounding projects should reduce or resolve safety issues through undergrounding of overhead power lines (i.e. roadway safety, pedestrian/bicycle safety) and improve service reliability for energy customers, reducing outages and service interruptions. Projects that meet one or more of the additional criteria listed below should be prioritized for use of the 1 % fund: • Critical facilities — ensures service reliability to critical City facilities (i.e. Police/Emergency Operations Center, Wastewater Treatment Plant). • Mobility/accessibility— improves transportation options by removing barriers along sidewalks, trails, etc. • Parks/open space — enhances City -owned property (i.e. parks, open space, golf course). • City projects — supports City -initiated projects (i.e. infrastructure improvements). • Cost savings — allows more overhead lines to be buried each year by realizing cost savings and providing a greater benefit to the City (i.e. partnering opportunities, resident contribution, Xcel system upgrades). • Economic development/redevelopment — supports economic development or redevelopment efforts within the city. Any project that involves a partnership with the Louisville Revitalization Commission and additional funding could receive higher priority. • Public benefit — supports private development when substantial benefit occurs to the public (i.e. number of homes served). • Aesthetics — improves visual appearance of community by reducing clutter of overhead wires.