[Adopted 9-20-2010 by Ord. No. 10-03[1]]
[1]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance also superseded former
Art. II, Electric Department, adopted 3-11-1996 by Ord. No. 96-3.
Unless otherwise provided herein, the singular shall include
the plural and the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter.
For purposes of this article, the following terms and phrases shall
have the meaning set forth as follows:
Electric service that is not interconnected to service supplied
by the Electric Department, which supplements the Electric Department
service where arrangements are made so that either one or both sources
can be utilized in whole or in part.
The Borough of Tarentum, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
The provision of electrical service by the Borough of Tarentum
and the acceptance of that service by any customer shall constitute
an agreement between the Borough and the customer to be bound by the
laws, rules and regulations of the Borough which regulate the provision
of electric service.
Any person, partnership, corporation or government agency
receiving electric service from the Borough.
A building or portion thereof arranged or designed for occupancy
by not more than one family and having separate cooking, sleeping
and sanitary facilities.
The National Electrical Code, as amended from time to time
or other such Code, as adopted by the Council of the Borough.
The employees, agents, and representatives of the Borough
authorized by the Borough Council to provide electrical service to
any customer and to otherwise enforce the provisions of this article.
An overhead or underground electric line, supplying either
primary or secondary voltage, located on a roadway or right-of-way
acquired by the Electric Department and used or is usable as part
of the Electric Department's general electric supply system.
Alternating current supply at 60 hertz delivered at the Electric
Department's standard voltages, as defined by the Electric Department
from time to time, in such quantities sufficient to supply the customer's
maximum requirements, based upon the customer's advise to the Electric
Department, whether or not the customer makes any use of the service.
Electric service for any general use purpose other than residential
service.
Any natural person, firm, association, government agency,
partnership or corporation.
The single point at which the Electric Department's service
line terminates and the customer's electric facilities for receiving
service begins.
A charge per KWH, as set by resolution, and applied to all
KWH billed to customers.
That electric service supplied to an individual dwelling
unit, including a single-family dwelling, mobile home, or an individually
metered apartment, where there is not more than 3,000 watts connected
load associated with a commercial activity served as part of the dwelling
unit.
That electrical supply line that connects the Electric Department's
distribution facilities to the customer's point of delivery.
Any lines or other electrical equipment, the cost of which
shall be paid for by the customer, as determined by the Borough.
Service which can be used for reserve in case of an emergency,
breakdown, or failure of the customer's regular source of supply.
A.
Requirements for the furnishing of electric service. Compliance with
all provisions of this article shall be the initial requirements for
the furnishing of electric service.
B.
Contract for services. The use of electric service supplied by the
Borough shall be deemed a request by the customer (including the owner
of the property and the tenant or lessee of the premises) for electric
service and an acceptance by the customer of all rules, regulations,
rate schedules, terms, conditions and provisions of this article.
C.
Service is not transferable. Electric service is not transferable.
In every instance, the new occupant or occupants of a property shall
make application for service at the Borough office in the form required.
D.
Failure to comply. Failure of any customer to comply with any of
the provisions of this article shall be deemed a breach of conditions
precedent to the furnishing of electric service and the Borough, upon
notice, may discontinue said service and remove any and all Borough
property from the premises of the customer in default.
E.
Liability of owner of leased premises. Pursuant to the Laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the owner of a property shall be liable
along with the tenant for the payment for electric service supplied
to the leased premises on the property and for all damages arising
out of the lessee's misuse of electric service and/or equipment.
A.
Special requirements agreements. Each applicant for electric service
involving special facilities or equipment shall be required to complete
and execute an agreement identifying all special requirements of the
applicant's installation or use of electricity, and agreeing to comply
with the conditions of service and such other requirements as may
be deemed by the Electric Department to be reasonably necessary for
safe and efficient electric service.
B.
Borough's right to reject an application. The Borough reserves the
right to reject any application for service for any reason, including,
but not limited to those instances where such service is not available
under a standard rate schedule or where such service would otherwise
require excessive service or installation costs or where such service
may adversely affect the level of service to other customers.
B.
Available service. Prior to the purchase of service or the installation
of any electrical equipment, the customer is responsible to secure
from the Electric Department a written confirmation of the type of
electrical service available to the customer.
C.
Service installation. All electric service facilities of the customer
shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the National
Electrical Code adopted by the Borough.
(1)
The Borough will not connect electric service or facilities to a
structure or building (or major alteration of a structure or building)
which has new wiring unless a certificate of occupancy is issued for
the building or structure by the Borough Code Enforcement Officer
and a certificate of approval is issued by a fire underwriter's association
qualified and authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(2)
No person or organization shall occupy any dwelling or building within
the Borough unless electric service is furnished in accordance with
the Borough's standard requirements for electric service and an authorized
fire underwriter's approval is obtained.
D.
Service supply. The Borough does not guarantee that it will provide
a continuous supply of electric energy but will employ its best efforts
to supply electric energy in such a manner as to maintain voltage
and frequency within reasonable limits. The Borough shall not be liable
for any damage, direct or consequential, which the customer may sustain
by reason of either the failure of supply or variation in voltage
characteristics or phase reversal.
E.
Right-of-way and easement. Prior to any installation of electric
service by the Borough, the property owner shall provide, at no expense
to the Borough, suitable easements and/or rights-of-way for all said
installations. In addition, all such easements and rights-of-way shall
be suitably improved to accommodate the installation. Improvements
shall include, but are not limited to, rough grading, ground line
clearing of trees, brush or any other obstructions as may be identified
by the Electric Department.
F.
Borough personnel access to customer premises. The Electric Department,
through its officers, employees or authorized agents shall have the
right of access to any customer's premises at all reasonable hours
for the purpose of reading, inspecting, testing, repairing or removing
its meters or other property, and to inspect and determine the connected
service load. No person shall interfere in any manner with any such
officer, employee, or authorized agent while in the performance of
his duties or exercising his authority under this article.
G.
New service. The installation of any new service or service provided
to new construction will not be provided unless and until advance
payment of a fee for all costs is made by the customer to the Borough.
Borough costs shall include but are not limited to installation, including
the cost of transformer(s), removal of materials, labor, and metering
equipment. Fees for said costs shall be established from time to time
by resolution of Borough Council.
H.
Use of electric service. Electric service is provided solely through
the Borough's electric meters or other metering devices to the customer
for use by the customer on customer-owned or rented/leased premises.
No customer may resell any electric service provided by the Borough
or install any unauthorized metering system.
I.
Change of service. The Electric Department's facilities have a definite
capacity at the customer location. No additions to the customer's
installation shall be made unless a written application has been made
to the Borough and the Borough has approved all proposed changes or
additions to service. The customer shall be responsible for all damages
to Borough facilities and equipment which result from a violation
of this section.
J.
Standby service. The rate schedules contained herein are based on
the customer purchasing all electric energy requirements from the
Borough. If the customer requires standby service, the customer should
notify the Borough in writing of his standby service requirements
and the Borough will subsequently provide to the customer monthly
charges for such service.
A.
Billing period. All bills for electric service will be rendered on
a monthly basis or, at the Borough's option, at other regular intervals.
The Borough may prorate bills for shorter periods, at its option.
B.
Late payment charge. A late payment charge as set from time to time
by resolution of the Borough will be added to any bill not paid in
full by the due date. The due date is approximately 15 days from the
date the bill is rendered and will be listed on the bill. If after
the next regular bill is rendered the aforesaid balance and penalty
charge shall remain unpaid, on the 25th day an additional charge as
set from time to time by resolution of the Borough shall be added
each month until paid in full. Subsequent bills and late charges shall
be calculated separately. All payments made by the customer shall
be applied first to the outstanding balance, if any.
C.
Returned check charge. A charge as set from time to time by resolution
of the Borough will be added to the account of any customer when a
check is returned to the Borough by the financial institution due
to insufficient funds.
D.
Security deposit. The Borough reserves the right to require a security
deposit from all customers as a security of payment, in the amount
equal to the estimated bill for service for any single billing period
plus one month. At the request of the customer, such deposit may be
returned to the customer at the expiration of at least a two-year
satisfactory payment history without interest.
E.
Security deposit temporary service. A security deposit shall be required
for all temporary service provided by the Borough. All connection
and reconnection costs will be paid in advance by the customer. Security
deposit fees shall be established from time to time by resolution
of Borough Council. The balance of any security deposit (less any
outstanding charges and fees) held by the Borough shall be returned
to a customer upon the discontinuation of the temporary service without
interest.
F.
Disputed bill. Any bill disputed by the customer shall be paid in
full by the customer, and the customer shall provide to the Borough
written documentation as to why the bill is being challenged. The
Borough agrees to promptly investigate the dispute and issue a report
to the customer detailing the findings.
A.
Reasons for disconnection.
(1)
Written request by the customer to the Borough.
(2)
Failure to make payments on any bill for electric service within
45 days of the date the bill was rendered.
(3)
Failure to pay any required security deposit within 45 days of the
date of demand for said payment.
(4)
Any customer installation determined by the Electric Department to
be dangerous and/or defective.
(5)
Any customer installation determined by the Electric Department which
has been tampered with, altered or in any way caused electric energy
to be improperly diverted from meter registration.
(6)
Any customer violation of any provision of this article.
B.
Procedure for disconnection. Except in case of an emergency, the
following procedures for disconnection will be followed.
(2)
Except in the case of emergency disconnections, the Electric Department
will not disconnect electric service for nonpayment on Friday, Saturday
or Sunday or on officially declared holidays.
(3)
If service is to be terminated due to nonpayment of the electric
bill by the owner of a property that is subject to the provisions
of the Utility Service Tenant Rights Act (Act 299 of 1978), the Borough
will follow the procedures set forth in that Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 68 P.S. § 399.1 et seq.
C.
Exceptions to disconnection.
(1)
Such exception shall include when a customer demonstrates a current
inability to pay an outstanding bill in full and:
(2)
Further, the Electric Department will not disconnect a customer when
the Borough is in receipt of a certification from a Pennsylvania-licensed
physician that a seriously ill or disabled person resides at the premises
receiving electric service. This exception is for only a thirty-day
period and can only be used once every six months.
D.
Disconnection without notice includes any of the following:
(1)
Willful misuse of the service.
(2)
Dangerous or hazardous electric wiring or equipment.
(3)
Meter tampering.
(4)
Electrical current diversion.
(5)
Emergency repairs or maintenance of Borough facilities.
(6)
Any power shortage or interruption of the Borough's source of power
by its supplier.
(7)
The vacating of a premise by a customer who is delinquent in payment
of his account.
(8)
An unauthorized electrical connection.
(9)
Customer equipment which is adversely affecting other customers'
service.
(10)
Any emergency request for disconnection by Fire Department or
other Emergency Personnel.
(11)
Electric Departments right to disconnect.
E.
Customer disconnection responsibility. Disconnection does not relieve
the customer of any liability for services provided by the Borough.
F.
Reconnection of service. Electric service will not be reconnected
until all account balances have been settled. The property owner,
whether the account is in the name of the property owner, tenant or
lessee, is liable for the account balance. The Borough reserves the
right to place a municipal lien upon the real property upon which
the demand for payment has been made.
G.
Reconnection fee. No electric service shall be reconnected until
a reconnection fee has been paid. The reconnection fee shall be established
from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council.
A.
Meters, transformers and other equipment. The Electric Department
shall furnish, own and maintain one meter or a unified set of meters
and metering equipment for each electric service. The Electric Department
will determine the location and placement of the meter on the customer's
building or structure. It is the customer's responsibility to provide,
at customer expense, suitable space for the installation and use of
the Department's meter and transforming equipment. The customer shall
permit properly identified Borough personnel to remove, inspect and
alter such equipment. Any Borough-owned equipment damaged, destroyed,
altered or otherwise prevented from properly registering the energy
supplied to the customer, due to the act, failure to act or negligence
of the customer or his representative, will result in the customer's
responsibility for all necessary repairs, equipment replacement and
the reasonable costs of investigation needed to determine the amount
of energy not registered and an estimate of the energy not registered.
B.
Meter-reading intervals for customers without demand meters. Meters
shall be read at regular intervals of approximately 60 days. Since
bills will be rendered on a monthly basis, the customer's electric
use will be estimated for the interim billing month and the necessary
adjustment will be made upon actual reading of the meter.
C.
Meter-reading intervals for customers with demand meters. All customers
with a demand meter will have their meter/s read on a monthly basis,
approximately 30 days. If such scheduled meter reading cannot be obtained,
the customer's use will be estimated and the demand kW shall be based
on the customer's history. Any adjustment in the bill will be made
on the next meter reading.
A.
Service location. The customer shall request from the Electric Department
the electric service location prior to commencing any electrical installation
work.
B.
Point of delivery. The point of delivery for electrical service is
that point at which the service connection of the Borough terminates
and the customer's wiring and installation begins.
C.
Customer wiring.
(1)
All wiring shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the
current version of the National Electrical Code. Compliance with the
Code should result in an installation essentially free from hazard
but not necessarily efficient, convenient, or adequate for good service
or future expansion of electrical use.
(2)
In buildings where wiring is new or where a major alteration of wiring
or equipment has taken place, the Electric Department shall not furnish
service until the Borough has received a certificate of approval issued
by a Fire Underwriters Inspector or other Borough-approved electrical
inspector.
(3)
The Borough is not responsible for any injury or damage which may
result from defects in customer wiring or devices upon connection
of the customer's wires to the Borough's system.
(4)
All equipment provided by the Borough shall remain the exclusive
property of the Borough. Any facilities installed by the Electric
Department not provided in a standard installation shall be paid for
by the customer for whom the facilities are installed.
A.
Capacity of facilities. The Electric Department facilities installed
for the customer are in accordance with information provided by the
customer. Any facility damaged because of incorrect information and/or
customer electrical load increases not reported to the Borough will
be the responsibility of the customer.
B.
Single-phase Service. The Electric Department reserves the right
to restrict the types of load connected to a single-phase service
and may require loads deemed objectionable be removed from the system.
C.
Meter testing. The Department shall not be required to test its polyphase
meters more than once within an eight-year period or its single-phase
meters more than once within a thirty-year period. The customer may
request a meter be tested only upon payment of a fee established by
Borough Council resolution. The fee shall be retained by the Department
whenever the accuracy of the meter is determined to be within the
limits of plus or minus 2%. Whenever the accuracy of the meter is
determined to be outside the limits of plus-or-minus 2%, the Department
shall repair the meter, refund the fee, and adjust the customer's
account accordingly.
D.
Distribution line extension. The Department may, at its discretion,
construct, own and maintain all distribution line extensions up to
100 feet along a public street. All other costs in excess will be
the responsibility of the customer. The customer shall make a nonrefundable
payment for the estimated costs for the line extension.
E.
Service line extension. The Department will extend overhead service
lines on public or private property for a distance of not more than
a nominal 100 feet at no cost to the customer. Any customer who requires
a service line in excess of 100 feet shall make a nonrefundable payment
of the estimated costs for the line in excess of 100 feet.
F.
Undergrounding of facilities. At the request of the customer, the
Department may determine the practicality and costs of providing underground
service to the customer. If the Department agrees to install such
service, the customer shall, prior to any installation, pay to the
Department all costs in excess of the costs which would be incurred
for normal overhead service. The customer will be required to provide
the necessary trenching and backfilling for such underground service.
G.
Pole removal or relocation. The costs of any pole removal or relocation
made at the request of the customer is the cost responsibility of
that customer. Payment for such relocation/removal shall be paid prior
to any work performed.
A load emergency shall exist whenever the demands for power
on all or on a portion of the Borough's electric system exceed or
threaten to exceed system capacity, or whenever system instability
could result in expected or actual system overloads. In such an event,
the Department shall take such reasonable steps under the circumstances
to control the load upon the system. Such measures may include but
are not limited to the reduction or interruption of electrical service
to one or more customers.
Agreements: No promises, agreements or representations by any
Borough employee, agent or representative shall be binding on the
Borough unless expressly authorized by this article or incorporated
in a written contract for electric service.
The following list of schedules, procedures and manuals are
approved as a result of this article and may be revised, from time
to time by resolution of the Borough Council.[1]
A.
Residential Services Rate Schedule (RS).
(1)
Application of Rate Schedule for Residential Service. This Rate Schedule
is for single-phase residential service when supplied in accordance
with the use provisions as set forth below.
(3)
Use provisions. This Rate Schedule is for 60 hertz, single phase,
120/240 volt service and is applicable to the following:
(a)
Single-family dwelling units and its appurtenances.
(b)
Single-family dwelling units in a multiunit building.
(c)
A family of persons, no more than eight, who unite to establish
a common dwelling place.
(d)
Temporary dwelling units with installed cooking facilities.
(e)
Volunteer fire company facilities.
(f)
Senior citizens' centers.
(4)
This Rate Schedule does not apply to:
(a)
Residential service that includes more than 3,000 watts of connected
load for nonresidential service.
(b)
Any service deemed to be professional or commercial by the Electric
Department.
(c)
Welding equipment, electric furnaces or motors greater than
one horsepower.
(d)
Electric water heaters with a connected load that exceeds 5,500
watts.
(e)
Central heating furnaces with switched loads in excess of 10,000
watts.
(5)
Payment. The above monthly rate applies if bills are paid within
20 days after billed. A late payment charge of 5% will apply if the
bill is not paid within 20 days.
(6)
The contract period is for not less than one year.
B.
General Service Rate Schedule (GS).
(1)
Application of Rate Schedule for General Service. This Rate Schedule
is for any use not included under the RS Rate Schedule. Three-phase
service is only available from an existing three-phase distribution
line unless the new installation facilities are paid for by the customer.
Service is provided in accordance with the use provisions as set forth
below.
(2)
Monthly rate (effective April 1, 2008).
(a)
All demand KW in excess of 5 KW billed at $5 per KW.
(b)
The first 300 KWH shall be billed at $15.84 per KWH.
(c)
The next 700 KWH shall be billed at $10.04 per KWH.
(d)
All excess KWH shall be billed at $9.54 per KWH.
(e)
Minimum charge. The monthly minimum charge shall be $10.
(f)
Billing KW. Measurement of load, when necessary for billing
purposes, shall be determined monthly from the highest registration
of a fifteen-minute-block interval type meter rounded to the nearest
KW.
(3)
Use provisions. This Rate Schedule is for 60 hertz, single or three
phase, 120/240 volt service and is applicable to the following:
(4)
Payment. The above monthly rate applies if bills are paid within
20 days after billed. A late payment charge of 5% will apply if the
bill is not paid in 20 days.
(5)
The contract period is not less than one year.
C.
General Power Rate Schedule (GP).
(1)
Application of Rate Schedule for General Power Service. This Rate
Schedule is available for electrical loads over 100 KW. Electric service
is for three-phase, 60 hertz electricity for general power service
supplied to the customer at 240 volts and higher.
(2)
Monthly rate (effective April 1, 2008).
(a)
The monthly customer charge shall be billed at $25.
(b)
All monthly billing kW shall be billed at $3.50 per kW.
(c)
All KWH shall be billed at $9.20 per KWH.
(d)
Voltage credit. Twenty cents per KW Demand when the service
is supplied at 1,000 volts or greater.
(e)
Minimum charge. The monthly minimum charge shall be $3.50 per
kW for all KW of the customer's current monthly demand.
(f)
Billing KW. Measurement of load, when necessary for billing
purposes, shall be determined monthly from the highest registration
of a fifteen-minute-block interval type meter rounded to the nearest
KW.
(3)
Use provisions. This Rate Schedule is for 60 hertz, three phase,
240-volt-or-higher service and is applicable to the following:
(4)
Payment. The above monthly rate applies if bills are paid within
20 days after billed. A late payment charge of 5% will apply if the
bill is not paid in 20 days.
(5)
The contract period is for not less than one year.
D.
Purchase power adjustment. A purchase power adjustment will be applied
to all KWH charges billed under all customer rates as amended from
time to time by resolution.
E.
Streetlighting Service Rate Schedule.
(1)
Availability of Streetlighting service. This service is available
for lighting of roadways, bridges and highway interconnections, and
private parking lots or other private areas as approved by the Electric
Department. Mercury vapor lighting is restricted and is not available
to new locations.
(2)
Monthly rate (effective April 1, 2008, or as may be amended from
time to time by resolution).
(a)
Mercury vapor.
|
8,150 Lumens-175 watts
|
$12 each
| ||
|
74 KWH per month
| |||
|
11,500 Lumens-250 watts
|
$17 each
| ||
|
103 KWH per month
| |||
|
21,500 Lumens-400 watts
|
$21 each
| ||
|
162 KWH per month
| |||
(b)
Sodium vapor.
|
9,500 Lumens-100 watts
|
$13 each
| ||
|
51 KWH per month
| |||
|
22,000 Lumens-200 watts
|
$18.50 each
| ||
|
86 KWH per month
| |||
|
50,000 Lumens-400 watts
|
$27.50 each
| ||
|
167 KWH per month
| |||
(3)
Payment. The above monthly rate applies if bills are paid within
20 days after billed (30 days for governmental accounts). A late payment
charge of 5% will apply if the bill is not paid in 20 days.
(4)
The contract period is for not less than five years.
