[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Catawissa 1-6-1986 by Ord. No. 285 (Ch. 8 of the 1983 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
All applicants for electrical service shall make written application therefor to the Borough Secretary upon a form prescribed by the Borough. Such application shall set forth the location at which service is desired, when it is to be connected, the intended use and class of service, the name and address of the person to whom bills are to be sent, and any other relevant data.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Section 102, Rate Classification, of Ch. 8 of the 1983 Code of Ordinances, as amended, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 12-29-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-07. See Art. II, Rates, of this chapter.
Any consumer who requires three-phase service must furnish and pay for the installation of all transformers and protective equipment which the Borough may require or which is necessary to comply with reasonable and usual standards for the service. Such installations shall be made by qualified persons, and the Borough shall have no liability for damage or failure of any customer-owned equipment caused by events beyond the reasonable control of the Borough. Any three-phase user should seek his own independent professional advice on selection of protective equipment beyond the minimum required by the Borough for protecting its own lines and system.
[Amended 9-11-1989 by Ord. No. 303; 8-9-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-02]
All applicants for electric service shall provide a cash deposit in the amount of $100 for those residences with nonelectric heat and in the amount of $150 for those residences with electric heat. Homeowners who have made such deposits shall receive said deposit back within one year, provided their electric account has been maintained in good order. A tenant who has paid said deposit shall have said deposit applied toward the tenant's final bill when the tenant vacates the residence. Upon payment of the required deposit, electric service will be supplied to the applicant, provided there are no monies due for electric service previously furnished to said property. Under no circumstances will electric service be provided to a location where the account for prior service thereto is in arrears.
[Amended 9-11-1989 by Ord. No. 303]
Deposits from consumers shall be returned when the service is terminated and all bills paid in full, or when the consumer shall have paid bills on time for 36 consecutive months. Further, deposits will not be required of persons who have established their credit by regular payment of bills when they move to a new location.
The Borough will render temporary or short-term service only under class GS when sufficient capacity is available. Any expense of the Borough in making connections for temporary or short-term service contemplated to be for less than one year shall be paid by the consumer prior to the commencement of the service and in addition to the stated rates. The consumer shall pay a minimum amount of at least $60 for electrical service during the term of any temporary or short-term service.
The consumer shall provide a suitable location for all meters, and the consumer's electrician shall install meter bases, as needed and as furnished by the Borough, at suitable outdoor locations suitably protected from interference at places on the property of the consumer or on property of the Borough, as the parties may agree, so that the meter will be between four feet and six feet above the ground, where the meter reader has ready access to read or inspect the meter or meters at all times. The Borough will furnish and make all connections to the meter or meters, and such equipment shall remain the property of the Borough. Preexisting conditions in violation of this section shall be brought into conformity as expeditiously as may be convenient, but no later than when any changes in the consumer's wiring, or the Borough's facilities in the area, are upgraded.
The Borough shall establish and maintain a schedule for routine testing of all meters. If a meter is found to be in error for any reason by an amount greater than 2%, adjustment according to the amount of error found shall be made for a retroactive period no greater than three months. If the fault with the meter can be identified as to time within the three-month period, adjustment shall be made for the time that the meter was indicated to be faulty. Any meter shall be given a special test at any time upon a complaint from a consumer, and if such test shows the meter to be accurate within 2%, the consumer shall pay the cost of the test.
The consumer grants to the Borough the right to set poles and for overhead wires to pass over his property as required to provide electric service to the property owner, his tenants and neighboring property. The Borough shall have the right to trim shade trees and shrubbery along the premises wherever such trees or shrubbery may in anywise threaten to interfere or to cause interference with electric service or facilities.
The Borough will use all reasonable means to provide continuous electric service to all of its consumers, reserving the right to cut off such service at any time for the purpose of making repairs or additions. Whenever possible, the Borough will give notice to consumers whose service will be interrupted at least 24 hours before the interruption. The Borough shall not be liable to any consumer for failure of its electric service at any time.
The Borough shall maintain a regular schedule of meter reading on or about the same date each month. If a regular monthly meter reading is not obtained for any reason, the bill shall be based on an estimate or on a special reading. Bills shall be paid at the Borough Office, or such other place as the Borough may designate, within 20 days of date of bill, or by the date shown on the bill.
The rate schedules in Article II of this chapter are designed to be applied on a monthly basis. Bills will not be prorated on any fractional part of a month. If an initial billing period, commencing on the day when service is first furnished to the consumer, begins within 10 days before a regularly scheduled meter reading date, the time from the beginning of the service until the scheduled meter reading date shall be considered part of the month following. If the service is first furnished more than 10 days before the regularly scheduled meter reading date, the time from the beginning of the service until the scheduled meter reading date shall constitute the first billing month. If service is to be terminated within 10 days after a regularly scheduled meter reading date, the consumer should notify the Borough Secretary prior to the regularly scheduled meter reading date, in which case the final monthly bill will be delayed until a final reading is taken on the day the service is discontinued, and the final billing month will include additional days between the regularly scheduled meter reading date and the date of disconnection. If such notice is not timely given, or if the period between a regularly scheduled meter reading date and the end of the service period exceeds 10 days, such period shall constitute the final billing month.
[Amended 9-11-1989 by Ord. No. 303; 8-9-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-02; 7-10-2017 by Ord. No. 02-2017]
Upon a consumer's failure, refusal or neglect to pay a bill of electric service on or before the final payment date shown on the bill, a penalty of 15% of the amount of the bill shall be added to the bill. Notice shall be given to the consumer. To be considered an on-time payment, payment from the consumer is due on or before the 20th of the month the bill is received. If payment is not made by the 20th of that month, then in that event, late notices shall be mailed to the consumer on the 26th of that month. If the notice mailed on the 26th is not responded to, then in that event, on the fifth day of the subsequent month, door hangers will be issued indicating that if payment is not received by the 10th day of that month, then in that event, the electric meter will be pulled and electric service disrupted. The disconnection of service shall not be deemed a penalty, but rather a means of preventing future losses to the Borough and taxpayers.
A. 
Service which has been disconnected for nonpayment of any bills shall be reconnected as soon as practicable following payment of all outstanding electric service bills, including penalties as provided in this chapter, together with such deposit as is prescribed herein and a reconnection charge of $100. Reconnections will be effective only between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. In an emergency situation only, after 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or on a holiday or weekend, said reconnection fee shall be $150.
[Amended 1-6-1986 by Ord. No. 285; 9-11-1989 by Ord. No. 303; 8-9-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-02; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
Limiter. A service charge of $75 shall be charged for the installation/removal of an electric limiter.
[Added 3-5-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-01]
The Borough undertakes to comply with all lawful regulations to which it is subject under the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission codified in 18 CFR 292, Subpart C, pertaining to power production facilities under Section 210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 16 U.S.C. § 824a-3.
Receipt and use of electric service supplied by the Borough shall constitute the receiver a consumer of the Borough, and by such receipt of service the receiver shall be deemed to have entered into an agreement with the Borough. Whether the agreement is written or not, such service shall be subject to all provisions of this chapter, and shall be charged for in accordance with the applicable service classification. Any unauthorized connection to the Borough's electric facilities or any unauthorized use of such electric service, or any violation of these regulations, may be cause for termination of service without notice.
When electric service is to be finally disconnected, the consumer should give notice to the Borough Secretary at least 10 days in advance of disconnection, with advice as to whether the service is to be continued for a new tenant or in the name of a landlord. In any event, a final meter reading will be made as nearly as convenient to the day and hour specified by the consumer and a final bill will be rendered as soon as possible following the final meter reading. The final statement of account shall be furnished by hand at the Borough Hall, or mailed to the address specified by the consumer. Any unused deposit will be applied to whatever amount may be due to the Borough, and the remainder will be refunded by check. Any amount due to the Borough on the final statement shall be due and payable immediately.
[Amended 2-16-1989 by Ord. No. 297; 1-7-1991 by Ord. No. 311; 9-9-1991 by Ord. No. 314; 9-2-1999 by Ord. No. 1999-03]
There shall be three rate classifications with the corresponding rate charged set by resolution by the governing body.
A. 
Residential service (RS).
(1) 
Availability. Available for service to household and other related uses in a single private dwelling, an individual unit in a multiple-dwelling structure, a private dwelling in which space is used in connection with the conduct of a trade or profession by a person residing therein, provided that the amount of electricity used in connection with the trade or business does not exceed 50 kilowatt-hours per month. Residential service shall include all appurtenant detached buildings, including residential garages.
(2) 
Character of service. Alternating current, 60 hertz, single-phase, 120/240 volts, three-wire.
(3) 
Rate charged. (To be set by resolution.) Minimum monthly charge shall be the customer charge.
B. 
Small power (SP).
(1) 
Availability. Available for service not meeting the requirements for residential service, including commercial, general lighting and/or power.
(2) 
Character of service. Alternating current, 60 hertz, single-phase, 120/240 volts, two-wire; three-phase, 120/208 volts, four-wire; three-phase, 277/480 volts, four-wire; three-phase, 120/240 volts, three-phase, three-wire.
(3) 
Determination of demand. The billing shall be the greatest fifteen-minute load in kilowatts established during the month, taken for billing purposes to the nearest 1/2 kilowatt. The minimum billing demand shall be three kilowatts. Demand meters shall be installed where the demand may exceed three kilowatts or when energy usage exceeds 4,500 kilowatt-hours in each of two consecutive months.
(4) 
Rate charged. (To be set by resolution.) Minimum monthly charge shall be the customer charge.
C. 
Large power rate (LP).
(1) 
Availability. Available for primary service at 12,470 volts at billing demands not less than 300 kilowatts.
(2) 
Character of service. Alternating current, 60 hertz, three-phase 12,470 volts, four-wire.
(3) 
Service equipment. Customer shall provide and maintain all equipment necessary for voltage transformation from 12,470 volt service voltage to the customer utilization voltage.
(4) 
Determination of demand. The billing demand shall be the greatest fifteen-minute load in kilowatts established during the month, taken for billing purposes to the nearest 1/2 kilowatt. The minimum billing demand shall be 300 kilowatts.
(5) 
Rates. (To be set by resolution.) Minimum monthly charge shall be the customer charge plus a capacity charge of 300 kilowatts.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Section 202, Schedule for CS-Community Service, as amended, and Section 203, Schedule GS-General Services, as amended, which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 12-29-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-07.
[Amended 9-2-1999 by Ord. No. 1999-03]
Rates charged to all users of electric power shall be set by the Borough Council by resolution.
[Added 12-29-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-07]
A. 
The purchased power adjustment clause, PPAC, recovers variations in the total cost of power supply not included in the base rates. The total cost of power is the sum of fixed and variable costs, fuels, interchange, transmission and any applicable distribution charges. There shall be added or subtracted from each monthly bill, for each rate class, an amount equal to the total kilowatt-hours billed during the month multiplied by the PPAC. Costs or reductions passed through the PPAC are actual costs or reductions incurred. Periodic changes will be made to the PPAC to ensure that power costs are equitably recovered from the rates.
B. 
The base purchased power cost will be set by resolution yearly. It will be periodically reviewed and revised, if necessary.
C. 
Each monthly bill may include a positive or negative purchased power adjustment clause factor to reflect the changes in the actual purchased power cost.
D. 
The PPAC shall be applied to each kilowatt-hour (KWH) supplied under all rate schedules. This adjustment, determined to the nearest 0.01 mill in accordance with the formula set forth below, shall be applied to all kilowatt-hours supplied during the billing period.
A = (C-B)x(D/E)
Where:
A
=
The amount of purchased power adjustment per kilowatt-hour to be applied to all bills
C
=
The total current cost of power purchased from the Borough's power suppliers, determined by dividing the total cost of power, including all costs, by the kilowatt-hours purchased during the first preceding calendar month prior to the billing date
B
=
Base purchased power cost, set by resolution
D
=
Total kilowatt-hours purchased by the Borough from all power suppliers for the 12 preceding months
E
=
Total kilowatt-hours sold by the Borough for the 12 proceeding calendar months