Chapter 14.16
CONNECTIONS AND METERS
Sections:
14.16.010 Connections to city system.
14.16.020 Unauthorized connections to system prohibited.
14.16.030 Unauthorized dual service connections prohibited.
14.16.040 Inspections authorized prior to connection.
14.16.050 Underground service lines.
14.16.070 Meter installations.
14.16.080 Ownership of metering equipment.
14.16.120 Customer’s wiring – Standards.
14.16.140 Voltage fluctuations caused by customers.
14.16.160 Electric space heating – New installations.
14.16.170 Water heaters – Limitation of supply.
14.16.180 Rationing authorized in case of power shortage.
14.16.190 Permission for cutting of city wires required.
14.16.200 Discontinuance of service authorized if customer’s system defective.
14.16.210 Additional loads – Customer’s responsibility to notify department of change in load.
14.16.010 Connections to city system.
After submittal of an application and payment of deposit, or after execution of an agreement, the department shall connect the customer’s electrical wiring system to the electrical system of the city, in accordance with the provisions set forth in this chapter. Such work may be performed at times convenient to the operation of the department. [Ord. 90 § 4.01; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.020 Unauthorized connections to system prohibited.
It is unlawful for any person other than a duly authorized employee of the city to connect any house, premises, wire, or other equipment with the city’s electric system. [Ord. 90 § 4.02; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.030 Unauthorized dual service connections prohibited.
It is unlawful for any customer to connect his electric wires to those of any other person, or in any way to supply any other person with city-supplied electric energy through his wiring system without first filing a written application for such connection or use in the office of the director and receiving a permit therefor. [Ord. 90 § 4.03; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.040 Inspections authorized prior to connection.
The director may, before connecting any premises with the city’s electric system or furnishing electric energy therefrom, cause the customer’s premises’ wiring and electric equipment to be carefully inspected; he may require such wiring and electric equipment to be put in proper condition, as defined in RMC 14.16.120 through 14.16.170; and he may, until the same are in such condition, refuse to connect the service wires with the city’s electric system. [Ord. 90 § 4.04; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.050 Underground service lines.
The department will provide underground electric service in accordance with the following regulations:
A. Underground Service to a Development.
1. Primary Service Lines. High voltage underground service will be provided to developments where feasible. The department will provide and install cable, junction boxes, and pad-mounted transformers and will coordinate the work with any other utilities involved for that portion of construction performed by the department. Developer will provide and install the conduit and vault system as designed by the department.
2. Secondary Service Lines. The department will provide and install cable and junction boxes. Developer will provide and install the conduit system as designed by the department.
3. Service Lines. The service lines between the transformer, the secondary service lines or distributing points will, except for trenching and conduit, be installed by the department and sized to provide adequate service reliability, voltage regulation and safety.
B. Underground Service to a Subdivision.
1. Primary Service to a Subdivision. The department will provide and install cable, junction boxes and pad-mounted transformers and will coordinate the work with other utilities involved for that portion of construction performed by the department. Developer will provide and install the conduit and vault system as designed by the department.
2. Secondary Service Lines. The department will provide and install cable and junction boxes. Developer will provide and install the conduit system as designed by the department.
3. Service Lines. All service lines will be underground except in those instances where the owner or builder has justifiably proved that it is not feasible and that overhead lines are required.
C. Conversion of Existing Overhead to Underground.
1. Service Lines. Existing overhead service lines may be converted to underground as follows:
a. Customer Convenience. When the customer wishes to have overhead services placed underground before normal replacement is required, the department will inspect premises and prepare cost estimates of the new installation. If it is determined that underground installation is feasible, the customer will be advised of technical aspects of their part in revamping building service entrance. The department will install underground service from pole to the customer’s point of connection and prorate charge to the customer on the following basis:
i. Customer provides trench and conduit and pays all costs incurred.
ii. Customer shall be responsible for coordinating with other utilities which may be affected.
b. Department Convenience. When it becomes necessary to relocate service lines for reasons pertinent only to the department, each customer will be offered an opportunity to convert his entrance to concealed underground service and assume at least a portion of the expense. The department will install a conduit riser on outside of building to connect from underground to existing entrance connection in those instances where customer does not desire a concealed service entrance.
2. Secondary Service Lines. These lines are only for use by the department and will be placed underground where feasible.
3. Primary Service Lines.
a. Customer Convenience. All primary lines may be placed underground for customer’s convenience with the total cost of the project paid by a local improvement district and/or the customer.
b. Utility Department Convenience. The department may convert primary service lines in an entire area from overhead to underground when pole deterioration or other factors pertinent to the operation of an electric utility makes such work necessary.
D. Commercial and Industrial Services.
1. Underground service to commercial and industrial customers will be provided and owned by the customer.
2. Since commercial and industrial installations combine varied arrangements, the director reserves the right to evaluate each individual installation.
E. Easements. The department will be provided with necessary easements at no cost to the city.
F. Overhead Services. Overhead services can be provided from an underground installation where justified by setting a short service pole adjacent to the power source. [Ord. 90 § 4.05; Ord. 296; Ord. 366 § 1.04; Ord. 18-77 § 1.07; Ord. 38-79 § 1.01; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2; Ord. 2022-32 § 1].
14.16.060 Service entrance.
The customer shall provide a suitable service entrance to the premises at the point of easiest access to the distribution line that the department proposes to connect to the customer’s system. Such entrance shall be continuous and so arranged that the possibility of improper tampering or interference is minimized. [Ord. 90 § 4.06; Ord. 366 § 1.02; Ord. 38-79 § 1.02; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.070 Meter installations.
Depending on the particular installation, the department may provide a portion of the customer’s service entrance equipment. The type of metering equipment (which may include meter, current transformer and enclosures, meter bases and junction boxes) shall be determined by the chief electrical engineer. In those instances where nonstandard metering equipment is required, any excess costs may be assessed to the customer.
Meter sockets shall be placed only at those locations authorized by the chief electrical engineer and shall afford proper protection to meters. In order that the meter can be easily read, the center of the meter socket shall be located not less than five feet nor more than six feet above finish grade.
If, as determined by the chief electrical engineer, the meter is inaccessible or improperly located for reading, the customer shall be required to relocate his service entrance to a suitable location or the department may install a remote metering device and all costs incurred shall be borne by the customer. [Ord. 90 § 4.07; Ord. 366 § 1.03; Ord. 18-77 § 1.08; Ord. 38-79 § 1.03; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.080 Ownership of metering equipment.
All meters and other facilities furnished by the city shall be and remain the city’s property, and they may be removed, replaced, or repaired at any time. [Ord. 90 § 4.08; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.090 Meters.
The department will install and maintain all meters and other equipment necessary for measuring the amount of electricity used by customers. Should the customer desire the installation of meters other than those necessary to measure adequately the electricity received by the customer, such additional meters shall be supplied, installed and maintained by the department with all costs incurred by the customer. [Ord. 90 § 4.09; Ord. 173; Ord. 18-77 § 1.09; Ord. 62-83; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.110 Meter tests.
The department will make periodic tests and inspections of meters and will make additional tests or inspections of meters at the request of any customer. No charge shall be made for any such additional test if there is a meter error of more than two percent.
If the meter error is two percent or less, the actual cost of such additional test shall be charged to and collected from the customer.
If any test shows a meter error of more than two percent, a pro rata adjustment shall be made in the customer’s billing for a period of not more than 90 days prior to the date of the test; provided, that in no event shall any adjustment be made for any period prior to the date of any previous meter test. [Ord. 90 § 4.12; Ord. 18-77 § 1.10; Ord. 38-79 § 1.04; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2; Ord. 2022-32 § 2].
14.16.120 Customer’s wiring – Standards.
All wiring of every customer’s premises must conform to the State of Washington Electric Code, applicable city ordinances, and accepted modern standards, including the National Electric Safety Code and the National Electric Code. [Ord. 90 § 4.12; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.130 Inspections.
The director or any city employee acting under his authority shall have free access at any reasonable time to any premises furnished with electric energy by the department for the purposes of inspecting any wires or electrical devices upon such premises, reading or installing meters, removing or repairing any property of the department, or for any other reasonable purpose relating to the city electrical system.
As recognized and authorized by RCW 19.28.010(3), the director will designate a qualified employee, per RCW 19.28.321, to perform electrical inspections of the traffic management system. [Ord. 90 § 4.13; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.140 Voltage fluctuations caused by customers.
Customers shall not cause unusual fluctuations or disturbances in the electrical system. Customers may be required, at their own expense, to install suitable apparatus which will reasonably limit such fluctuations. [Ord. 90 § 4.14; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.150 Lower power factor devices.
Repealed by Ord. 39-15. [Ord. 90 § 4.15].
14.16.160 Electric space heating – New installations.
All electric space heating installations, other than heaters designed for use as plug-in heaters, must meet the following minimum requirements:
A. Individual heaters over 1,500 watts capacity must be controlled by an adjustable thermostat.
B. All permanently installed electric heating installations must conform to current codes in regard to type of equipment, application and method of installation. The heating elements shall be controlled by one or more thermostats and the control shall be so arranged that the heating units can be thermostatically or manually connected. [Ord. 90 § 4.16; Ord. 173; Ord. 47-78 § 1.02; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.170 Water heaters – Limitation of supply.
The director may limit the supply of electric energy to water heaters in such manner and at such times as, in his judgment, system conditions require. [Ord. 90 § 4.17; Ord. 296; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.180 Rationing authorized in case of power shortage.
During period of power shortage, the director may limit the use of electric space heating in any manner that may be deemed necessary. At any time, the director may refuse to supply electricity to any customer whose demand therefor may seriously impair service to any other customer. [Ord. 90 § 4.18; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.190 Permission for cutting of city wires required.
Whenever it becomes necessary to remove, disconnect, or cut any wires belonging to the city, prior notice shall be given to the chief electrical engineer by the person desiring such removal, cutting, or disconnection, stating when and where the same is required. Such cutting, disconnecting, or removing of wires shall be done by or under the direction of the chief electrical engineer; and the cost of labor and materials shall be borne by the person desiring the work to be done. [Ord. 90 § 4.19; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.200 Discontinuance of service authorized if customer’s system defective.
The director shall have the right at any time to discontinue service to any customer whose wiring or electrical equipment is defective, dangerous, or detrimental to the electrical system until such wires or equipment are repaired or restored to the standards required by RMC 14.16.040 and 14.16.120 through 14.16.160 and to a safe operating condition. [Ord. 90 § 4.20; Ord. 39-15 § 3; Ord. 41-17 § 2].
14.16.210 Additional loads – Customer’s responsibility to notify department of change in load.
The department has the responsibility of providing electrical equipment of a suitable capacity to deliver power in accordance with the customer’s load requirements. In the event that the customer changes his load materially, exceeding that initially provided, he shall notify the department sufficiently in advance so that the department may revise its facilities accordingly. In the event that the customer fails to notify the department and, as a result, the city’s equipment is damaged, the customer shall be liable for the costs of such damage. [Ord. 90 § 4.21; Ord. 41-17 § 2].