"We have a geography problem and a terrain problem for sure," Michael Albert told the Senate Finance Committee Monday. "I'm sure a lot of trouble ... was from trees falling from beyond the right-of-way clearance."

During a series of public hearings next month, the Public Service Commission will look into whether lax maintenance of equipment and right-of-ways by power companies contributed to the power outages, which lasted for several days and forced some residents to spend Christmas without electricity in some parts of the state.

Senate Majority Leader Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, said linesmen called in from out-of-state to repair damaged power lines described conditions in Southern West Virginia as "a disaster waiting to happen."

"They said the lines were dry-rotted and there was vegetation all around," he said.

Earlier this month, Chafin called for the PSC to investigate the outages, which affected more than 300,000 households and businesses statewide, leaving some without power for nearly two weeks.

Albert said the PSC ordered the two major electric power companies serving the state to increase spending on right-of-way clearance in 2005, and said both Appalachian Power and Allegheny Power have been at or near PSC's targeted spending to maintain right-of-ways.

"This was an extraordinary storm, but nonetheless, there was a lot of outage, which we're looking at," he said.

Albert also said he does not believe the power companies' maintenance units were understaffed when the mid-December storm hit.

"You don't staff up to meet a crisis. You staff up to meet your normal workload," he said.

As for whether the power companies will be able to pass on the estimated $75 million of repair costs to consumers in the form of rate hikes, Albert said, "We aren't going to allow any costs that aren't proven and effective."

Also Monday, Finance Committee members questioned whether a larger amount of enhanced 911 fee funds should be redirected toward construction of cell phone towers statewide.

The $3 a month fee on cell phones is bringing in more than $33 million a year, Albert said, but nearly $30 million of that is passed through to counties to operate emergency communications centers.

Only about $1.3 million a year goes to the PSC's tower assistance fund, which is barely enough to fund construction of three or four cell towers a year, Albert said.

Last Friday, Albert noted, the PSC approved the construction of three cell phone towers in Wirt, Webster, and Wyoming counties, at a total cost of $1.2 million.

Senators Monday suggested that building more towers should be a funding priority.

"If you go up Interstate 79, there are dead spots all the way up, and this is a major artery in the state," said Sen. Larry Edgell, D-Wetzel.

Likewise, Sen. Donna Boley, R-Pleasants, said many travelers trapped on the West Virginia Turnpike during the December snowstorm found themselves without cell phone service.

"If you were on the Turnpike that night, I bet you wished you had a cell phone and an [operational] tower," she said.

Sen. Doug Facemire, D-Braxton, questioned whether counties could raise additional funds by leasing space on the towers to commercial cellular phone service providers.

Albert said he believes that counties are charging companies minimal amounts, if any, for tower space.

"I think they're just delighted to have them, quite honestly," he said of the commercial providers.

Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220.