Needles Municipal Code Art. 6C II Conditions Governing the Extension of Electric Distribution and

SERVICES 6C-2-1 Conditions Governing The Extension Of Electric Distribution And Services

6C-2-1 Conditions Governing The Extension Of Electric Distribution And Services

Application for City’s electric service often involves construction of new facilities for various distances and costs depending upon Customer’s location, load size and load characteristics. With such variations, it is necessary to establish conditions under which City will extend its facilities.

All extensions are subject to the availability of adequate capacity, voltage and City facilities at the beginning point of an extension. These rules shall govern extensions of both overhead and underground electric facilities to Customers whose requirements are deemed by City to be usual and reasonable in nature.

1. Basis for extensions.

1.2 Footage basis: residential only. 1.3 Economic

feasibility basis: all classes of service. 1.4 Responsible resource development basis: residential service only. 1.5 Economic development basis: specific applications only. 1.6 Doubtful permanency basis: all classes of service. 1.7 Seasonal Customer basis: all classes of service.

2. Extension conditions.

Customers requiring construction of electric facilities for service to irrigation

pumping will advance the total cost of construction, which may include a portion of the cost from designated irrigation substations. Advances are subject to refund as specified in section 3 below.

Extensions of electric facilities to Customer’s premises, which will be

continuously occupied less than nine (9) months out of each twelve (12) month period may be made only on an economic feasibility basis.

3. Refunds.

extension for a residential real estate development, and a refund may be made on a “per” Customer basis. Refunds for each permanent Customer shall only be refunded one time. A permanent Customer must have service installed and be an active account at the time of the refund survey to be qualified for the refund study. The City shall specify in the extension agreement, the amount of refund per permanent Customer connected and may require a number of “qualified” Customers be connected to an extension prior to the extension qualifying for a refund survey. Once a permanent Customer has been included in a refund survey. Once a permanent Customer has been included in a refund survey, Customer shall not be counted in future surveys, regardless if such Customer is active or inactive at the time of the survey.

4. Underground construction.

expenses required for the alternate feed.

specifications and standards.

6. General conditions.

Extensions of three phase service are available when a Customer has installed a single

piece of equipment with a seven and one-half HP (horsepower) motor or a single air conditioning unit of six tons or more, or where total connected HP of all connected three phase motors exceed twelve HP or Customer’s total load exceeds one hundred KVA. If less than the above HP or connect KVA is installed, City may at its option, when requested by the Customer, serve three-phase and require a nonrefundable contribution equal to the difference in cost between single phase and three phase construction, but in no case less than one hundred dollars.

All suitable easements or rights-of-way required by City for any portion of the extension

shall be furnished in City’s name by Customer without cost to or condemnation by City, and in reasonable time to meet proposed service requirements. All easements and rights-of-way obtained on behalf of City shall contain such terms and conditions as are acceptable to City.

Except for Customer-owned facilities, all construction, including that for which

Customers have made advances and/or contributions, will be owned, operated and maintained by City.

In unusual circumstances, as determined by City, when the application and

provisions of this policy appear impractical, or in case of extensions of lines to be operated on voltages other than specified in the applicable rate structure, or in case Customer’s requirements exceed two thousand kW, City will make a special study of the conditions to determine the basis on which service may be provided.

Where extensions of electric facilities require construction that is in any

way nonstandard, as determined by City, or if unusual obstructions are encountered, Customer will make a nonrefundable contribution equal to the difference in cost between standard and nonstandard construction.

City, at its option, may make extensions to serve certain abnormal loads (such as:

transformer type welders, x-ray machines, wind machines, excess capacity for test purposes and loads of unusual characteristics), provided Customer makes a nonrefundable contribution equal to the total cost of such extensions, including transformers and services.

City will convert its facilities from a master metered

system to a permanent individually metered system at Customer’s request, provided Customer make a nonrefundable contribution equal to the residual value, plus the removal costs less salvage of the master meter facilities. The new facilities to serve the individual meters will be extended on an economic feasibility basis.

City will rebuild or revamp existing facilities to meet

Customer’s added load or change in service requirements based on upon an economic feasibility study. If the estimated additional revenue from such upgrades or changes pays City’s total construction costs within five (5) years for residential Customers, and two (2) years for nonresidential Customers, then such upgrades or changes shall be completed free of charge for the Customer. If the upgrades or changes do not provide adequate revenues, then the Customer shall make a nonrefundable contribution to the City for the total cost of construction. The City reserves the right to refuse such rebuild or revamp requests, when such requests are not consistent with the terms and conditions for the sale of electric services, or the City’s electrical engineering standards. Residential service entrance equipment upgrades or rebuilds are exempt from these requirements.

Any applicant requesting City to prepare detailed plans, specifications or cost

estimates may be required to deposit with City an amount equal to the estimated costs of preparation. Where the applicant authorizes City, within twelve (12) months of the completed estimate, to proceed with construction of the extension, the deposit shall be credited to the cost of construction; otherwise the deposit shall be nonrefundable. City will prepare without charge, a preliminary sketch and rough estimate of the costs to extend electric service to a project upon request.

7. Footage basis extensions.

The extension, (if the conditions specified in section 7.1 are met and the total

extension does not exceed seven hundred fifty (750) feet per new permanent residential Customer, or a maximum of two thousand five hundred (2,500) feet for the entire extension, or Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000)), will be constructed at no cost by City.

Extensions over the free distance. Extensions which meet the

conditions specified in section 7.1, but which exceed the free distance in section 7.2, may still qualify for a footage basis extension provided Customer or Customers sign an extension agreement and advance the cost of such additional footage.

8. Economic feasibility basis extensions.

Extensions shall be allowed, when the conditions in section 8.1 are met and

the extension is determined to be economically feasible by City. Economic feasibility shall mean that the estimated revenues from the completed project, less the extension and electric line and metering costs, provide and adequate rate of return on investment to City.

City, at its option, may extend its facilities to Customers whose use does

not satisfy the economic feasibility requirements of section 8.2, provided such Customers sign an extension agreement and agree to pay a special rate or an annual facilities charge to make the facilities economically feasible.

9. Responsible resource development basis (residential real estate developments only).

If an extension does not qualify or is not accepted, it may be evaluated at

developer’s request to determine if it qualifies for the economic feasibility basis.

Extensions shall be allowed when the conditions in section 10.1 have been

met and approval for an economic extension is granted by the Utilities Board and City Council.

determined on an individual application basis by the board of public utilities and City Council.

If an extension does not qualify or is not accepted by the board of public

utilities or the City Council, Customer/developer may request an economic feasibility basis extension.

11. Doubtful permanency basis.

application for service is not expected to be permanent, but is expected to be an active Customer for more than twelve consecutive months. Doubtful permanency Customers will be required to advance the total construction and removal cost, less any salvage value of the extension. Refunds of such advances will be calculated using the economic feasibility refund criteria.