Chapter 12.30
ELECTRIC SYSTEM
Sections:
12.30.020 Connection requirements.
12.30.040 Service line installation and connection.
12.30.050 Electric distribution line extensions and reinforcements.
12.30.010 Electric division.
A. Electric Division Responsibility. The electric division shall be responsible for the electric supply system serving the city and designated areas outside of the city limits as certified by the public utilities commission.
B. Electric Management. The director under the direction and control of the city manager, shall be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the electric system and shall have charge of all matters concerning the electric system, enforcement of electric regulations, accountability for materials and the manner in which the same are used or disposed of.
C. Rules and Regulations. The director shall recommend such rules, ordinances or regulations for adoption to the city manager as may be required to ensure safe and efficient operation of the electric supply system, for an electric supply sufficient to satisfy the public needs, and a reliable electric distribution system. (Ord. 4-2021 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021).
12.30.020 Connection requirements.
A. Connection Required.
1. The owner of any house or other building occupied for business or residence purposes, situated within the city and abutting any public street, alley, or right-of-way in which there is now located an electric distribution line of the city and desiring electric service is hereby required at owner’s expense to connect such building by means of a service line directly with the distribution system, in accordance with this chapter and the NEC. New buildings or lots requiring electric-using devices shall require the extension of a distribution line to serve the property in accordance with GMC 12.30.050 if a distribution line, legally dedicated to the city, does not abut the property in question. All connections to the city’s electrical distribution system shall be inspected by the State Electrical Inspector.
2. Service lines shall not be connected in any manner to serve buildings or parcels of land which are not part of the site being developed and which are not owned by the permittee. Separate buildings on existing platted lots are required to have an individual service line if lots can be sold separately under current zoning.
3. Within one year of notification by the city that a distribution line is available in the street, alley, or right-of-way abutting the property, any improvements thereon shall be connected thereto as required in this section.
B. Unlawful Acts and Damage.
1. Damage.
a. No person shall injure or damage any property, equipment, or appliance constituting or being a part of the city’s electric facilities.
b. No person, except those authorized by the city, shall enter upon the enclosed lands upon which any portion of the city’s electric facilities are constructed, or in any manner interfere with the facilities or any portion thereof.
c. No person, except those authorized by the city, shall make any connection to any distribution lines.
2. Energy Diversion.
a. No person shall do or perform any act which constitutes energy diversion.
b. Due to its hazardous nature, discovery by the city of energy diversion shall be grounds for immediate disconnection of service, without prior notice to the customer or user at such premises. Where energy diversion has occurred and immediate disconnection is effected, the city shall give notice concurrent with the disconnection or as soon as practical thereafter and provide an opportunity for hearing. The sole purpose of the hearing will be to ascertain the facts concerning the event of energy diversion and its duration. Service may be reconnected only after the means by which energy diversion was accomplished has been corrected. The city may impose a deposit requirement sufficient to protect the city from any future acts of energy diversion.
c. In case of energy diversion, the city may bill the customer for estimated energy consumed but not properly registered. In its discretion, the city may also charge the customer for the costs of investigation and correction resulting from the energy diversion. (Ord. 4-2021 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021).
12.30.030 Permits and costs.
A connection permit shall be required before any person may make a connection to a city distribution line or for a service upgrade. The connection permit is issued by the state of Colorado electrical inspector in accordance with the NEC. (Ord. 4-2021 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021).
12.30.040 Service line installation and connection.
A. General.
1. New electric service lines shall not serve properties that are not owned by permittee.
2. Subdivisions of land that will create situations where an electric service line could serve properties under different ownerships shall require the installation of separate service lines to serve the new parcels. Abandoned service lines must be disconnected.
3. Location of service lines and connections to the main must be approved by the public works department.
4. In performing a service line connection to the city distribution line, an electrician licensed by the state of Colorado shall be responsible for the following:
a. Calculate mast height necessary to comply with NEC right-of-way clearance requirements.
b. Leave enough service drop wire for the city electric line crew to physically make the connection to the city point of service within NEC requirements.
c. Perform the actual service line connection to the building in conformance with NEC requirements.
d. Measure and certify to the city prior to installation of the meter that minimum height requirements have been met.
e. The city electric line crew shall be responsible for the actual physical connection at the point of service. All installation and maintenance from the point of service to and throughout the buildings shall be the responsibility of the property owner.
5. A homeowner may perform electrical work on private property on which is placed a single dwelling unit of which sole residency is by the owner. This provision applies to all installations behind the city’s electric meter.
6. Electrical work from the front side of the meter to the transformer and distribution line must be performed by a licensed electrician.
B. State of Colorado Electric Code. All service lines and service line connections to the city electric system shall be installed in accordance with the NEC and requirements of this chapter.
C. Electric Service Line Installation Within the City Right-of-Way.
1. Electric service line installation within the city right-of-way, including the connection of service lines to the transformer and distribution line and any electric for underground electric lines, excavation, bedding, compaction, and backfill, shall be done by authorized agents of the city.
2. Specifications.
a. All electric service lines shall be of the type required by the NEC.
b. All underground service lines shall be laid at a depth of not less than that required by the NEC.
c. Backfill and compaction of underground lines shall be in accordance with city specifications.
D. Costs. Electric service line installation by the city within the city right-of-way, including material, labor, hardware, equipment use, and land surface replacement (due to excavation) shall be paid by the permittee. This payment is a part of the fees paid at the time of building permit issuance.
E. Inspections. The permittee shall make arrangements for inspections of the service line with the state of Colorado electrical inspector, giving a minimum of 24 hours for the inspector to schedule same. Inspections are required for temporary service and throughout the construction process to final inspection.
F. Maintenance Responsibility. The property owner shall be responsible for the service line within the public right-of-way and on private property. However, any maintenance within the city right-of-way shall be performed by city personnel at the property owner’s expense.
G. Abandonment of Service Lines.
1. The public works department shall determine the means for abandonment of a service line.
2. The property owner shall bear all responsibility for maintenance of the service line and excavation on private property. (Ord. 4-2021 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021).
12.30.050 Electric distribution line extensions and reinforcements.
A. General – Applicability. These electric distribution line regulations apply to those portions of the city system that have been legally subdivided and platted prior to the effective date of these regulations. Any portion of the city and designated areas outside of the city limits which has not been platted prior to enactment of this chapter shall comply with the requirements stated in the subdivision regulations.
B. Length and Location of Extended Distribution Lines.
1. All new electric extensions shall extend the full length of the property being served or developed.
2. Electric distribution lines shall be located in a public right-of-way, whenever possible, and all locations must be approved by the public works department.
3. In cases where the line will traverse private property, a utility easement for installation, access and maintenance must be approved by the public works department and accepted by the city. Easements must be accepted by the city prior to construction.
C. Engineering and Design.
1. The city shall provide the engineering and design work at no cost to the developer for extensions of electric lines that will be located in developed city streets or alleys that have been previously platted, accepted, and opened for use as a public right-of-way.
2. In those instances where the streets, alleys or rights-of-way have not been opened for public use (in platted areas), the developer shall furnish engineering data and plans conforming to city regulations and specifications. The design and engineering work shall be done by a professional engineer licensed by the state of Colorado and these engineering and design costs shall be borne by the developer. All plans shall require approval of the director.
D. Excavation and Installation of City Electric Distribution Lines.
1. The city shall be responsible for installation of any distribution line.
2. All overhead electric distribution lines installed in the city electric system shall be aluminum core steel, reinforced wire.
3. All underground electrical distribution lines in the city system shall be 220 mills EPR, with full concentric neutral and fully jacketed cable. Sizing for all distribution lines shall be determined by the public works department.
E. Distribution Line Costs – Responsibility Of.
1. Costs of materials, labor, hardware, equipment use and land surface replacement (due to excavation) for distribution line extensions shall be borne by the developer. In cases where main lines will benefit multiple land owners, or properties, the use of assessment districts (local improvements) is encouraged in order that the costs can be shared by all of those who benefit from the new infrastructure. Local improvements can be initiated by either the city or by petition of land owners and are addressed in Chapter 10.10 GMC.
2. If the city requires a distribution line to be installed which is larger than that required to serve the subdivision, the city shall bear the difference in cost of the hardware.
F. Dedication of Distribution Lines to City.
1. Upon completion of the line to the satisfaction of the director, the developer/user for which the distribution line was extended shall convey said line to the city, relinquishing all ownership rights. This will be a legal agreement prepared by the developer’s attorney and must meet with the approval of the city attorney.
2. Upon acceptance by the director, and after the ownership of the extended distribution line is conveyed to the city, the city shall assume all responsibilities of ownership and maintenance of the line.
3. No electricity shall be turned on to the user’s premises until ownership of the distribution line has been conveyed to the city, except for testing.
G. Extension of Distribution Lines Outside City Limits. Extension of distribution lines to areas outside the corporate limits of the city shall be in conformance with public utility commission requirements. (Ord. 4-2021 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021).
12.30.060 Electric meters.
A. General.
1. Each city electric user shall utilize an electric meter in compliance with the requirements of this chapter. Meters and meter bases are furnished by the city; however, the property owner is required to have a licensed electrician install the meter base and outside disconnect. Following this installation and prior to the city’s installation of the meter, the State Electrical Inspector must inspect and issue approval to proceed.
2. Location of every meter shall be approved by the public works department. Electric meters must be kept immediately accessible to city personnel for reading and maintenance and access shall be kept clear from obstructions. If the city determines that the meter access is obstructed, the city may request by mail that the user remedy the problem within 48 hours after receipt of the letter or the user’s electric bill shall be estimated.
3. New location of meters for remodeling must adhere to the rules for installation of new meters as directed by this chapter.
B. Size and Maintenance of Electric Meters.
1. The city shall purchase, retain title to, maintain, and furnish to the user an appropriate meter for any installation required by the city.
2. Electric meters may be removed at any time for service and repair at the discretion of the public works department.
C. Electric Meter Installation. The property owner shall install the meter base and outside disconnect at a location approved by the public works department. The installation must meet with the approval of the State Electrical Inspector prior to the installation of the meter by the city.
D. Safety. Electric meter locations, entrances, and access to electric meters shall be such as to provide safe entrance for city personnel to the meter for removal, repair, maintenance, or monthly readings.
E. Failure of Electric Meter. If an electric meter shall fail to register in any month, the user shall be charged according to the average electricity used in a similar period when the meter was in order. The preceding also applies to meters inaccessible due to failure to meet the safety requirements of subsection (D) of this section.
F. Electric Meter Testing. The city reserves the right to make tests and inspections as required on its meters to ensure a high standard of accuracy. A meter will be considered accurate if it tests within two percent, plus or minus. A customer may request that a test of the meter be made. In the event the meter is found to register within two percent, plus or minus, the customer will be required to pay a test fee. If the meter is found to exceed the two percent limit, plus or minus, prior bills may be adjusted for the prior six-month period or until the date of the previous test if the meter was tested less than six months previously. No charge will be made for the test of a meter which exceeds the two percent standard. (Ord. 4-2021 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021).