HomeMy WebLinkAbout1757 Electric Service Rules
ORDINANCE NO. 1757
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE III OF ORDINANCE 1184, AS AMENDED
ESTABLISHING RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR ELECTRIC SERVICE.
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 6.
ARTICLE III
Rules and Regulations
A. Any person, firm or corporation desiring electric service
from the City of Ashland must make application in writing on blanks
provided therefor by the City and thereby agree to abide by the
rates, rules and regulations of the City.
B. Application for Service: The applicant must sign the form
provided by the City and made available at the City Hall and furnish
the following information if applicable:
(1)
~Z)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
.( 9)
(10 )
(11)
(12 )
Name of applicant.
~ .- .. . ..
va~e OI appLL~d~LV~.
Location of premises to be served including a site
plan where commercial or multiple family showing
meter locations.
Date applicant will be ready for service.
Whether the premises have been supplied heretofore.
Purposes for which service is to be used.
Customers mailing address.
h~ether applicant is owner, tenant of, or agent for
premises.
Rate schedule applicable. After the first full
month billing and final determination of the
proper schedule, the schedule may be changed only annually.
Deposit to establish credit of applicant.
Estimated single-phase and three-phase load where
applicable.
Such other information as the City may reasonably
require.
The application is merely a request for service and does not in
itself bind the City to serve except under reasonable conditions,
nor does it bind the customer to take service; but if service is
connected, the customer will be required to pay the minimum charge
according to the applicable rate. Where a building permit is re-
quired, application shall be made at that time.
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C. Construction Service:
(1) There is a charge for temporary service for new
construction of $10.00 plus $2.50 connect fee. Bills
will be rendered monthly through the meter readings
in addition. Such temporary service, when overhead,
must be attached to a secured structure and have the
State electrical inspection tag before connection.
Where possible, the location of the temporary service
should be such that it can be also used with a minimum
of alteration for the permanent service. Other tempo-
rary service requires a deposit equal to the Cityts
costs.
D. Permanent Service:
(1) It is the policy of the City to encourage the installa-
tion of underground distribution and service facilities
where practical and economically feasible. The appli-
cant shall make application for underground service
with the following exceptions:
a. Any replacement or relocation of a service on a
lot when it does not necessitate any increase in
the number of existing overhead lines and/or
utility poles.
b. Any increase in service size if no additional
overhead lines and/or utility poles are required.
c. Single family dwellings, when utility poles exist
along property lines, except where required in
the subdivision ordinance, provided that a service
panel shall be installed to convert to underground
utilities at a future date with 21t conduit stubbed
out to an accessible area.
(2) The City will bear all cost except trenching and back-
filling and any required conduit in place which shall
be the responsibility of the applicant. The applicant
shall sign an appropriate easement to allow the City
lines to be underground and for adequate maintenance
access. Locations must be approved by the City.
Commercial services require conduits.
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(3) The City will not install more than one service
either overhead or underground for th~ same voltage
and phase classification for anyone building or group
of buildings except as separate services, unless for
the convenience of the City or where required by law
or local ordinance. Multiple family dwellings
requiring separate metering may have more than one service.
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(4) All transformers, meters, service wires, fixtures
installed by the City at its expense on the customer's
premises for the purpose of delivering electric energy
to the customer shall be the property of the City and
may be repaired or replaced at any time and removed at
the termination of service, and may be used to supply
other customers whether or not on the same premises.
No rent or other charge shall be made by the customer
against the City for placing or maintaining its facil-
ities upon the customer's premises.
(5) Residential services above 100 amperes shall have a
200 amp meter base. Above 225 amperes current trans-
former shall be used. Container or method of supporting
current transformers shall be approved by the City and
shall include not less than one-inch conduit to the
meter base. Single phase 200 amp meters will serve up
to 50 KVA and three phase 200 amp meters will serve up
to 100 KVA except 480 volts. Contact the City for
application and metering requirements for additional
information and for three phase or current transformer
applications. Meter locations. must be outside the build-
ing, easily accessible, and convenient for meter reading,
and not more than 6 1/2 feet or less than 5 1/2 feet high.
Install no meters behind locked doors or on City poles.
(s) ~JG ~G:-:.:-:.~::ti.8~ ,:.~i. l1. ~e ~=de 1:"0 f.::l ('il ; r; p~ thRt do not
have the approval of the State electrical wiring
inspector, or in the opinion of the City will consti-
tute a hazard. The City adopts the National Electrical
Code, National Safety Code and the State of Oregon
Bureau of Labor Rules as its rules and regulations,
latest editions of each.
E. Service Use Requirements:
(1) No motor shall be allowed to start which causes inter-
ference with other customers. Maximum single phase
allowable is 5 HP by. special permission, otherwise 3 HP.
Three phase motors 20 HP and larger shall have reduced
voltage starting where customers other than the applicant
are served from the same transformer bank. Each customer
shall review his own motor starting requirements when
it may interfere with his own electric service. See
Table #1. for other allowable mo~or starting conditions.
(2) Other devices which cause unusual fluctuation such as
X-ray apparatus, hoists, furnaces, electric heat, must
be limited to reasonable levels on request of the City.
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(3) The customer shall provide 'circuit protective devices
or fuses at his service entrance or cable attachment
to protect the power company equipment from any faults.
(4) The location of the overhead service, where applicable,
shall be on that portion of the building that can be
served from the City's facilities at a minimum of cost.
Clearances shall be in accordance with the National
Electrical Safety Code, latest edition, and in general
the point of attachment and line routing shall be not
less than twelve feet above the finished grade. Across
roadways greater heights are required. Confer with
the City staff where there may be unusual circumstances.
Additional poles will not be installed to render ser-
vice at the rear or in an inaccessible point of the
building, except at customer's cost. Minimum metal
raceway for overhead or underground service entrance
shall be 2" rigid galvanized steel conduit securely
fastened and to give a minimum of three feet above
inaccessible roofs or other roofs may require additional
clearance.
(5) The customer shall provide protective devices for his
equipment to protect against single phasing and high
and low voltage conditions. Three phase motors shall
have protection in all three legs. He shall keep his
~i~i~~ =~~ ~q~i~~~~t i~ ~~e.~0~e.bl~ r~~~5r ~nn rpnp~ nr
install facilities on his premises at his own expense.
(6) The City Electric Department may require the customer
to provide at his expense equipment to reduce the
lagging or leading reactive requirements (KVAR) of
his equipment so that the ratio of total KW to total
KVA (volts times amperes times square root of 3 for
three phase) is not less than 85%, commonly known as
power factor. This is not more than 60% reactive power
to 100% true power. The city reserves the right to
bill 25~ per KVA of excess reactive demand per month
if the customer fails to reduce the reactive demand to
the limits above.
(7) The customer shall notify the City when adding addit-
ional load w~ich may affect the ability of the City
to provide adequate service with existing lines and
equipment.
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F. Customer Accounting and Service:
(1) Credit: A customer shall establish credit with the
Accounting Department by depositing an amount equal
to one and one-half month's bill of the class of which
the application is made. After a period of twelve
months satisfactory service this amount is refundable.
Established commercial accounts may use other commercial
methods of establishing credit that are acceptable to
the Accounting Department. Balances remaining after
the final bill and disconnecting service shall be refunded.
(2) All bills are payable within ten days after postal
mailing date on the bill. If bills are not paid in
fifteen days after the postal mailing date stated
thereon then a notice shall be sent to all delinquent
customers that the electrical service will be discontinued
without further notice if the bills are not paid in five
days of notice date.
(3) If service is disconnected for. nonpayment, a $5.00
connect charge will be paid with the delinquent account
if the connection is requested during regular working
hours of the Electrical Department or a charge of $15.00
must be paid together with the delinquent account if it
is requested that the connection be made after working
hours, beLore service lS restored.
(L~) Any consumer, not having a current deposit, who becomes
delinquent fifty (50) days will be regarded as a new
customer, and a new deposit may be required. A change of
residence, may require an addition to a current deposit,
to post the amount specified for a new location.
(5) The right is reserved by the City to discontinue
electric service to anyone in default to the electric
department, and after "service is discontinued it shall
not again be furnished to such customer until all bills
for electricity are paid. The City shall not be liable
for any loss incurred because of disconnect for non-
payment of electric bill.
If the seal of the City's meter ~s broken or if the
meter for- any cause does not properly register, the
customer shall be liable for' an average monthly bill
for that period of the year.
(6)
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(7) The rate schedules of the City are applicable only
for service supplied entirely by the City without
interconnection with an outside source except that
interconnection may be made through a double pole
switch where necessary to meet minimum requirements
for emergencies.
(8) The City will exercise reasonable diligence and care
to furnish continuous and sufficient supply of elec-
tricity to its customers and to avoid any shortage
or interruption of delivery thereof. It cannot, however,
guarantee complete freedom from interruption. The City
will not be liable for interruption or shortage or
insufficiency of supply, or any loss or damage occasioned
thereby if same is the result beyond its reasonable
control. The City may suspend service temporarily for
repairs but will attempt to give a reasonable notice to
the customers as circumstances permit. Such repairs and
improvements will be performed as rapidly as may be
practicable and where reasonabl~ shall be performed at
such times as will cause the least inconvenience to the
customers.
(9) During times of shortage of supply the City will
apportion its available supply of electricity among
its customers as directed by the yuolic uciiiLie~
Commission or Federal Power Commission. In the absence
of such direction it will apportion the supply in the
manner that appears most equitable under conditions
then prevailing.
(10) All City meters will be sealed by the City, and it
shall be unlawful for any person, other than an
authorized representative of the City to break or
tamper with the seal for the purpose of supplying
electricity to the premises. When an unauthorized
breaking or tampering of the meter seal is discovered,
the City shall remove the meter entirely, and shall
install a blank in the meter socket. Electric service
will not be reinstated until a fee, double the usual
re-connect fee, has been paid by the customer.
(11) Submetering shall be the customer's own responsibility
where master meters are installed.
(12) For metering installations on customer premises the
City furnishes necessary instrument transformers,
test facilities, and meters, for the City's billing
purposes and tests only.
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G. Meter Testing:
(1) Prior to Installation:
Every meter will be tested before installation and no
meter will be placed in service if found to register
more than 2% fast or 2% slow. New factory meters will
not necessarily be tested other than at the factory.
(2) On customer request.
A customer may on notice of not less than one week
require the City to test the meter used to measure his
requirements. No charge will be made for such a test
except:
If a customer requests a meter test within six
months after installation or more than once per
year, a deposit to cover the reasonable cost of
the test will be required of the customer in
accordance with the following schedule:
For each single phase meter -------- $6.00
Single phase meters with instru-
ment transformers -----------------$10.00
Three phase meters -----------------$16.00
Three phase meters with instru-
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d~----------$2u .GG
The deposit will be returned if the meter is found
to register more than 4% fast. The excess over-
charge will be refunded to the customer for the-
period of twelve months. The customer or authorized
representative may witness the tests.
(3) Non-registering of meters found more than 4% slow shall
require the City to render an additional billing on an
estimated basis for the previous three months period
based on the City's experience with the customers of
the same class and general characteristics of the cus-
tomer's operations.
(4) When it is found that the error in a meter is due to
causes, the date of which can be reliably established,
the billing will be computed back to but not beyond
that date, provided however that in no case will a bill
for undercharge on residential service be rendered for
a period of exceeding three, months.
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H. Procedure of Handling Disputed Bills:
When a customer and the City fail to agree on a bill for
electric service and the disputed bill is not paid within
fifteen days after presentation, the City will notify the
customer in writing:
(1) That in lieu of paying the disputed bill he may deposit
with the City the amount claimed by the City to be due.
(2) That in the event that the disputed bill cannot be
satisfactorily adjusted, the customer may make applica-
tion for adjustment to the City Council, Ashland,
Oregon, stating the nature of his complaint.
(3) That upon receipt of the complaint, the Council will
notify the City, review the basis of the billed amount
and will advise both parties of its findings and order
disbursement of the deposit in accordance with those
findings.
(4) That service will not be discontinued for nonpaYment
of the disputed bill when deposit has been made with
the City pending the outcome of the CouncilTs review.
(5) That failure of the customer to make such deposit within
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-------- --J- -~--- ---- ---- --I:--~ -------- ------ ..-.- 0------
will warrant discontinuance of his service without
further notice.
(6) That, if, before completion of the Councilts review,
additional bills become due which the customer wishes
to dispute, he shall also deposit with the City the
additional amounts claimed by the City to be due for
such additional bills before they become past due and
that failure to do so will warrant discontinuance of
his service.
I. Resale of Electricity:
A customer shall not resell electricity received from the
City to any person, except:
(1) By special written permission, or
(2) Where the charge is absorbed in the rental for the
premises or space occupie~.
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(3) Where the customer is the ,owner, lessee, or operator
of a multiple dwelling unit or commercial building
and electricity is submetered and resold to tenants
at the City's regular tariff rate for the type of
service which such a tenant may actually receive.
Should a customer resell electricity otherwise than as
provided in the foregoing paragraphs, the City may either
discontinue service to him or supply electricity directly
to the sub-customer as the City may elect.
J. General:
(1) No one but duly authorized employees of the City is
allowed to run any service wires on City poles or make
any connection with City wires on City poles or under-
ground or make any connection with City wires on service
side of meter and all unauthorized persons are hereby
warned that they are liable for such connections under
Section 164.620 Oregon Revised Statutes.
(2) No connections, disconnect or repairs to electric
service will be made other than at regular working
hours unless life or property is endangered as is
specified by the State Laws of Oregon governing muni-
cipalities in the hours allowed for working employees.
Orders for connecting and disconnecting services
received in the forenoon will be connected in the
afternoon of the same day and orders received in the
afternoon will be performed in the forenoon of the
next regular working day where possible.
(3) The City shall have the right to refuse or discontinue
electric service to a customer if any part of his
wiring or equipment or the use thereof shall be found
unsafe by the City or in violation of applicable laws,
ordinances, rules or regulations of public authorities
until it shall have been put in a safe condition or
the violation remedied. The City does not assume the
duty of inspecting or repairing the customer's lines
or appliances or apparatus or any part thereof and
assumes no liability therefor.
(4) The City will not be responsible-for transmission and
delivery of electric energy through the customer's
wiring and equipment regardless of the place where such
energy may be transformed or metered and will not be
responsible for the same or for any loss or damage
occasioned thereby whether to the customer or third
persons or otherwise or at all.
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i
(5) The City shall at all times have the right of ingress to
and egress from a customer's premises at all reasonable
hours for purposes ~~~ay connected with the furnish-
ing of electric energy and the exercises of any and all
rights secured to it by law or these rules.
(6) It is the general policy of the City and the Electric
Department to operate the electric system and conform
to the general policies of other utilities in the
immediate general areas. Unanswered questions or
situations may be resolved by using other utility rules
as guidelines.
(7) The City Council may from time to time make additional
rules and regulations for electric service and set
fees for energy sold and for services rendered. The
staff is authorized to recover amounts equal to costs
plus overhead for damages and unusual situations not
covered specifically by these regulations.
The foregoing Ordinance was duly'provided in accordance with
Article ~, Section 2. (c) of the Ashland City Charter; and was first
on the 7"4 day of fJ E ~E nf3/i 1\
=~~~ ~y ~i~ie unly at a regular meeting of the Cornman Council held
, 1972, and passed to its second
reading by title only and duly adopted at a regular meeting on the
Itf?tiday of [) L.-:'- tE 11131'f{ , 1972, the vote being as follows:
Ayes: ~
Nays: IJ
APPROVED:
(?jM~/I/h~~.
Mayor
ATTEST:
I
/
v
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