Each request for extension of new service will require a written
application for service in which the applicant agrees to pay any required
contribution in aid of construction. The Utility may require that
the contribution in aid of construction be paid in advance of construction
or may, at the Utility's option, offer customers an installment
payment plan.
A.
The contractor or person responsible for the installation of the
customer's electric wiring, appliances and other equipment related
to each type of service shall deliver a notarized affidavit on a form
supplied by the Utility attesting to the fact that the work complies
with the Wisconsin State Electrical Code and the service rules of
the Utility. Affidavits must clearly indicate the nature of the work
done (such as residential wiring, residential fixtures, garage wiring,
range, heaters, motors or other wiring or equipment) and, for those
cases involving wiring changes or additions which require the meter(s)
to be replaced or relocated, or which require inspection by the Utility,
the affidavit shall include an itemized copy of the connected load,
including lights, motors and appliances. Where such changes require
new service entrances at a new location, the existing service entrance
should not be disconnected before the new service entrance is ready
for connection and operation.
B.
If, upon inspection by the Utility, installations are found to contain
discrepancies, such discrepancies shall be corrected before permanent
connection of service will be completed. Or, at its option, the Utility
may mail the customer a written request demanding conformity within
a ten-day period or any prior service connection made by the Utility
will be disconnected and terminated.
C.
The Utility normally connects the service entrance wires to the service
wires. No one else shall make these connections without the specific
approval from the Utility, in which case the customer shall assume
responsibility for any damage which may result from making these connections.
The Utility will not be responsible for damage or injury resulting
from unauthorized disconnection or reconnection of service wires.
The title to every extension at all times is with the Utility.
The Utility reserves the right at all times to add additional customers
to an extension and make new extensions to an existing extension under
the provisions of these rules without procuring the consent of any
customer or customers contributing to the original construction costs
and without incurring any liability for refunding contributions except
as additional customers may be added as provided for herein. (See
§ PSC 113.1007, Wis. Adm. Code, Refunds.)
A.
Overhead facilities. The applicant(s) for service shall furnish right-of-way
easements and permits with clearing rights, without cost to the Utility,
adequate for the line extensions necessary to serve them and along
a route approved by the Utility. Clearing shall either:
(1)
Be done by the applicant(s); or
(2)
Be done by the Utility, in which case the applicant shall, in advance
of the clearing work, make a contribution to the Utility in an amount
equal to the Utility's estimate of the cost thereof. Such contribution
shall be nonrefundable, except that after completion of the extensions
the Utility will determine the actual cost of clearing work, recompute
the contribution required and will refund the excess, if any, of the
contribution held over the contribution required as based on such
actual cost.
B.
Underground facilities.
(1)
The applicant(s) shall secure for the Utility, without cost to the
Utility, such easements as the Utility may require for the installation,
maintenance or replacement of the underground lateral and necessary
distribution line extension.
(2)
The applicant shall inform the Utility of any known or expected underground
obstructions within the cable routes on his property (septic tanks,
drainage tile, etc.). Any earth fill added to bring the cable route
to final grade prior to the underground construction shall not contain
large rocks, boulders, debris or rubbish.
(3)
In the event of future changes in grade levels by the customer that
would materially change the depth of cover over underground conductors
or affect transformer locations, the landowner shall notify the Utility
in advance of grading and shall pay the Utility its cost of moving
or replacing its equipment to accommodate the change in grade. Such
charge will also be made for changes in buildings, structure, foundations
or walls or other obstructions.
The Utility shall provide safe, reliable service with extensions
that conform, to the extent possible, with each of the following standards:
A.
Route. The Utility shall make the extension over the most direct
route which is the least expensive and least environmentally degrading.
The customer shall provide or shall be responsible for the cost of
all right-of-way easements and permits necessary for the Utility to
install, maintain or replace distribution facilities. The customer
shall either clear and grade such property or pay the Utility to clear
and grade such property. The customer is responsible for the cost
of restoration of the property after the Utility has completed installation
and backfilling where applicable.
B.
Design. The Utility shall design and install facilities to deliver
service to the customer and the area at the lowest reasonable cost.
The facilities shall comply with accepted engineering and planning
practices. The design shall consider reasonable needs for probable
growth in the area and local land use planning. Unwarranted excess
capacity which would result in unnecessary cost increases to the Utility
and its customers shall be avoided. The Utility shall be responsible
for the incremental cost of distribution facilities which are in excess
of standard design for the customer and normal area growth.
C.
Efficient use. The Utility's extension rules shall discourage
the inefficient use of electricity by appropriately relating costs
to the charges made for extensions.
D.
Cost estimates. The Utility shall engineer and estimate the cost
of each extension based on reasonable current costs. Current costs
may be estimated using job-specific costs, average costs per foot
or unit, or other costing method as appropriate.
A.
The applicant for new service may select the point of service, with
approval of the Utility, at which point the Utility will deliver service
at applicant-owned terminating facilities. The applicant will furnish,
own and maintain circuits, meter socket and equipment beyond such
point, except for metering equipment.
B.
It is necessary that a customer's service entrance facilities
be located at a point most readily accessible to the Utility's
distribution system. It is desirable, and often necessary, to avoid
crossing adjacent property with service drops or laterals. If the
distribution system is established in the rear of the premises, the
service entrance must be brought to the rear of the building. Where
the distribution system is located on the street or where no distribution
system has been established, the customer shall request the Utility
to specify an acceptable location of the service entrance facilities.
The Utility will furnish this information in writing upon request.
A.
Meters will be furnished and installed by the Utility. The customer,
however, must furnish the meter socket and all necessary extra wiring
to meet the meter connection and must furnish a safe and convenient
place for the meters. The meter area must at all times be kept free
of trees and shrubs so as not to block view of meter.[1]
B.
In the event a customer desires an additional meter installed for
his own convenience, the installation shall be entirely at the cost
of the customer, including the cost of the meter.
A.
Meter sockets shall be installed by the customer on the exterior
of the building.
B.
In rural areas, a yard pole may be furnished by the Utility and located
at a point central to the buildings to be served. The meter socket
shall be installed by the customer on this pole. All service equipment
beyond this point is the responsibility of the customer.
C.
When only a residence is built in the rural area and underground
service is used, the meter may be placed on the pole if cleared by
the Utility prior to installation. A customer-owned yard light may
not be installed on this pole unless cleared by the Utility.
D.
Any meter located other than as described above shall be approved
in writing by the Utility prior to installation or it shall be changed
by the customer to conform to the Utility standards.
A.
The Utility shall provide standard overhead service drops and standard
underground service laterals at no charge to the customers.
B.
Not more than one service drop or service lateral will be installed
to the same building or utilization point, except:
(1)
Where more than one point of delivery is necessary because of voltage
regulation, governmental requirements or regulatory orders.
(2)
In large installations (large power only) where, in the opinion of
the Utility, more than one service drop or lateral is necessary to
meet the load requirements.
(3)
In row houses and other multiple-occupancy buildings having areas
separated by fire walls in compliance with the Wisconsin State Electrical
Code.
C.
If an existing customer with a single-phase service drop or lateral
requests three-phase service, the customer shall rewire his equipment
to operate from the three-phase service drop or lateral before three-phase
service will be extended. The single-phase service drop or lateral
will be removed from service after the three-phase service has been
extended.
A standard overhead service drop shall be furnished by the Utility
to a suitable support on the customer's premises. The Utility
will provide supplemental information to the customer indicating the
equipment that the customer shall install, own and maintain. This
material will also indicate what State Electrical Code provisions
and Village ordinances must be complied with on the installation of
this equipment.
A.
A standard underground service lateral shall be furnished by the
Utility to suitably service equipment on the customer's premises.
This equipment shall be installed on the customer's building
at a location approved by the Utility.
B.
The Utility will provide supplemental information indicating what
equipment the customer shall install, own and maintain for underground
service and indicate what provisions of the State Electrical Code
and Village ordinances must be complied with for the installation
of this equipment.
A.
The Utility shall provide standard-design transformers necessary
to serve the customer's load at no charge.
B.
A standard design transformer is a transformer with capacity less
than or equal to 150 kva (kilovolt-ampere). If a customer requests
or requires additional capacity, the Utility shall add to the total
cost of installation a charge equal to the cost of the necessary transformer(s)
less a credit for the cost of the maximum capacity standard transformer.
If the proposed extension requires nonstandard service facilities
or if the customer requests nonstandard facilities, the Utility may
require the customer pay a contribution in advance of construction
for the portion of the facilities in excess of the standard design.
Proposed extensions may be reviewed for economic considerations.
If the cost of an extension exceeds five times the average embedded
cost to serve a customer in the same class as the customer for whom
the extension is to be made, the Utility may require a contract with
the customer. Under the terms of the contract, the customer may be
required to pay the recurring estimated operation and maintenance
expenses associated with that portion of the extension that is in
excess of five times the average embedded cost at the time the extension
was made. The reasons and supporting analysis for each contract will
be furnished the customer and the Public Service Commission in writing.
The Utility will inform the customer of the customer's right
to ask the Commission for a review of the extension costs and contract
provisions. The Utility will notify the Public Service Commission
in writing when a service extension is denied, including the reasons
for denial.
A.
Customer classification. Customer classifications are based on usage characteristics. Each classification has a distinct installation charge and embedded cost credit. For definitions of distribution and service facilities installed in new installations see § 263-22. Examples of customer classifications are as follows:
B.
Total cost of installation. The total cost of extension shall be
defined as the cost of the extension of primary and secondary lines
(excluding the necessary service drop or service lateral and individual
transformer or increased transformer capacity); reconstruction of
existing main feeders, including changing from single-phase to three-phase
or construction of new feeders made necessary solely by addition of
such customers; the cost of tree trimming or right-of-way clearing,
securing easements, moving conflicting facilities, and all other costs
incident to furnishing service. The customer is responsible for the
cost of restoration of the property after the Utility has completed
installation and backfilling where applicable. This definition applies
to the overhead and underground distribution system. If it is found
to be advisable for the Utility to install facilities in excess of
that required to serve the new customer applying for service, the
added cost of these facilities will not be used in determining the
cost of the extension.
C.
Installation charge. The installation charge is the total cost of
installation less the average depreciated embedded cost of the distribution
system (excluding the transformer and service facilities). Seasonal
customers shall received 1/2 the average embedded cost allowance of
a year-round customer for the same customer classification.
D.
Average depreciated embedded cost. The embedded cost of the distribution system (excluding the transformer and service facilities) is determined by the Public Service Commission for each customer classification. The average depreciated embedded cost by customer classification listed in Schedule Oc-1, § 263-76E:
(1)
Residential service. The average depreciated embedded cost is determined
by dividing the original cost less the estimated accrued depreciation
of the distribution system and less customer contributions and advances
for construction allocated to this customer classification by the
number of customers in the group.
(2)
Apartment and rental units separately metered. The owner of an apartment
or rental unit applying for an extension of service shall receive
the same average depreciated embedded cost credit that applies for
residential service, per unit metered.
(3)
Subdividers and residential developers. The same average depreciated
embedded cost credit that applies for residential service would apply
per unit energized within five years from the installation of the
contributed extension.
(4)
General service (including multiunit dwellings if billed on one meter).
The average depreciated embedded cost credit is determined the same
way as residential.
(5)
Power service. The embedded allowance is determined by dividing the
original cost less the estimated accrued depreciation of the distribution
system and less customer contributions and advances for construction
allocated to this customer classification by the estimated average
billed demand of these customers. When there is an upgrade, the average
billed demand is the difference between the averaged billed demand
before and after the upgrade.
(6)
Streetlighting. The dollar amount per fixture is determined by dividing
the overall depreciated cost of the distribution facilities allocated
to the streetlighting class, less credits for past customer contributions
and advances for construction, by the total number of lighting fixtures
in that classification.
|
NOTE: All average depreciated embedded costs (by rate class)
shall be subject to review by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
as part of each general rate case proceeding.
|
A.
Residential (urban, rural and farm), general service (urban and rural), streetlighting, and small and large power classes will be charged the total installation cost less the average depreciated embedded cost as defined in § 263-39D.
B.
Residential and commercial developers and subdividers of single- and two-family subdivisions shall pay, as a minimum, a partially refundable contribution which is the estimated cost of distribution facilities to be installed for the area being developed. The average depreciated embedded cost is refundable as structures are built and connected to the Electric Utility facilities, as defined in § 263-39D.
C.
Installation charges for multifamily residential housing units will be the total installation cost less the average depreciated embedded cost, as defined in § 263-39D, per each living unit in the multifamily building.
D.
Other installation charges. In addition to the installation charges
provided above, the Utility may require the customer to pay, in advance
of construction, the estimated direct costs for those distribution
service facilities which:
(1)
Are in excess of standard Utility design and construction;
(2)
Follow a route different than the most direct route as in § PSC
113.1002, Wis. Adm. Code, as determined by the Utility; or
(3)
Require abnormally high installation costs due to abnormal soil conditions,
including trenching in rocky soil, frozen ground or other similar
conditions. Winter construction will normally apply between December
1 and April 1.)
|
NOTE: All such payments for these conditions are subject to
partial refund as additional customers connect.
|
Section 263-40 explains the method for estimating the total cost of installation. The Utility shall adjust its estimate of construction costs to reflect the costs that are actually incurred. Upon completion of an installation which differs from the Utility's original cost estimate, a recalculation of the customer contribution shall be made.
