HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-1146 - Ordinance - 01/25/1979ORDINANCE NO. 1146
AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE SCHEDULE OF UTILITY RATES, GOVERNING PAYMENT OF BILLS,
PROVIDING FOR DISCONNECTIONS AND RECONNECTIONS, AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 1112
AND PORTIONS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT WITH THIS ORDINANCE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Schedule of Rates:
The monthly rates to be charged consumers for public utility services --
namely, electric connections --shall be in accordance with the schedules
as follows:
A. ELECTRIC RATE - SCHEDULE R
(Residential Customers)
Applicable: To single family residential customers for all domestic usage.
Rate: 6.80� per kwhr for the first 25 kwhrs.
5.60G per kwhr for the next 75 kwhrs.
5.020, per kwhr for the next 100 kwhrs.
3.250, per kwhr for all kwhrs over 200 except
2.60� per kwhr for all over 700 kwhrs used per month in
the months of November through April.
Minimum Bill:
$3.75 per month plus applicable power cost adjustment on the
kwhrs used plus applicable tax adjustment.
Multiple -Dwelling Units:
Multiple dwelling units where served under one meter shall be
billed under Rate Schedule R-1.
Power Cost Adjustment:
The net energy charge per kilowatthour under the above rate
shall be increased or decreased to reflect the application of
a power cost adjustment calculated in accordance with Schedule
PCA.
B. ELECTRIC RATE - SCHEDULE R-1
(Master Metered Multiple Dwelling Units)
Applicable: To multiple dwelling units for all domestic usage where served
under one master meter.
-continued-
03M9
Schedule R-1 (cont.) Page 2
Rate:
The monthly rate charge for service under this schedule shall
be determined as follows:
Minimum Bill:
The average kwhr usage per month per dwelling unit shall be
determined by dividing the total monthly kwhrs purchased, as
determined by the City's master meter, by the total number of
dwelling units receiving electric service. The total number
of dwelling units receiving electric service shall be the
total number of dwelling units constructed unless certified
otherwise by the owner of the multiple dwelling units.
The individual rate charge per dwelling unit shall thence be
computed on the basis of the average kwhr usage per month per
dwelling unit figured at the following rate:
6.80� per kwhr for the first 25 kwhrs.
5.60-A, per kwhr for the next 75 kwhrs.
5.02� per kwhr for the next 100 kwhrs.
3.250, per kwhr for all kwhrs over 200 except
2.600 per kwhr for all over 700 kwhrs used per month in
the months of November through April.
The total monthly bill shall thence be determined by multiplying
rate charge computed under the above rate by the number of
dwelling units certified to be receiving electric service.
$3.75 per dwelling unit per month plus applicable power cost
adjustment on the kwhrs used plus applicable tax adjustment.
Power Cost Adjustment:
The net energy charge per kilowatthour under the above rate
shall be increased or decreased to reflect the application of
a power cost adjustment calculated in accordance with Schedule
PCA.
Submetering:
1. Where electric service is submetered, the words "dwelling
unit" in the above rate and minimum bill clauses shall be
replaced with the word "submeter".
2. Where service is taken by the customer at the City's available
primary voltage, and where the customer installs, owns, operates,
and maintains all service facilities, including metering,
required to take service at such voltage, and where the customer
provides for billing each month each multiple dwelling unit
tenant, a discount of 10% of the net base rate bill will be allowed.
Metering may be primary or secondary (corrected for trans-
former losses) at the City's option.
-continued-
0
30
Schedule R-1 (cont.)
Page 3
3. The customer operating the submetering system shall provide
electric service to his tenants and render bills therefor in
strict accordance with the electric submetering rules and
regulations as established by the Public Utility Commission
of Texas in Substantive Rule No. 052.02.05.057, a copy of
which is attached hereto. All records and reports provided
for in these rules and regulations, other than those specified
below, shall be made available to the City upon request.
The customer shall not impose any additional charges on his
tenants over and above those charges which are billed by the
City. For verification purposes, the customer shall, within
five days after his tenant's bills are rendered each month,
file a written report with the City showing a reconciliation
of his billing to his tenants plus the billing for owner used
energy with the charges which are billed by the City. This
report shall provide as a minimum the following information:
1. A calculation of the average cost per kilowatt-hour
for the current month.
2. A listing of all submeter readings and billings,
including kilowatt-hour usage metered and total
rate charge, for the current month.
C. ELECTRIC RATE - SCHEDULE SC
(Small Commercial Customers)
Applicable: To all commercial customers and other customers whose monthly
kilowatt demand does not exceed 15 kw. Demand meters will
be installed on all such customers whose (1) installed load
would indicate that demands over 15 kw would be experienced
or (2) whose monthly kilowatthours exceed 5000.
Rate: 7.70q, per kwhr for the first 100 kwhrs.
6.60(,% per kwhr for the next 400 kwhrs.
4.87� per kwhr for the next 500 kwhrs.
3.25�_ per kwhr for the next 5000 kwhrs.
2.60G per kwhr for all kwhrs over 6000 kwhrs.
Minimum Bill:
$3.75 per month plus applicable power cost adjustment on the
kwhrs used plus applicable tax adjustment.
Power Cost Adjustment:
The net energy charge per kilowatthour under the above rate
shall be increased or decreased to reflect the application of
a power cost adjustment calculated in accordance with Schedule
PCA.
-continued-
't!
Page 4
D. ELECTRIC RATE - SCHEDULE LP-1
(Medium Commercial and Industrial)
Applicable: To all commercial and industrial customers and other customers
where service is taken through one meter and where monthly
kilowatt demand is between 15 kw and 300 kw.
Character of Service:
A.C.; 60 cycles per second, single phase, 120/240 volts; three
phase, 120/240, 120/208, 240/480, 277/480, 2300/4160, 7200/12,470
volts, as available at point of service. Three phase customers
served via underground primary to pad -mounted transformers will
be offered only 120/208 or 277/480 volt service.
Rate: Demand charge: $3.50 per kw of billing demand.
Energy Charge: 2.55C per kwhr for the first 10,000 kwhrs.
2.20q� per kwhr for the next 40,000 kwhrs.
1.65q% per kwhr for all kwhrs over 50,000 kwhrs.
Billing Demand:
The billing demand shall be the maximum 15 minute measured kw
in the month, but not less than 75% of the peak demand measured
in the twelve month period ending with the current month.
Minimum Bill:
$3.75 per kw of billing demand plus applicable power cost ad-
justment on the kwhrs used plus applicable tax adjustment.
Power Cost Adjustment:
Power Factor:
The net energy charge per kilowatthour under the above rate
shall be increased or decreased to reflect the application of
a power cost adjustment calculated in accordance with Schedule
PCA.
Should the power factor be lower than 0.85 lagging, the City
may adjust the measured demand by multiplying by the ratio of
0.85 to the actual power factor.
E. ELECTRIC RATE - SCHEDULE LP-2
(Large Commercial and Industrial)
Applicable: To all commercial and industrial customers and other customers
who contract for over 300 kw of demand and where service is
taken through one meter at one point of delivery. Before service
is supplied, individual contracts should be negotiated outlining
all details of the service to be supplied, the terms of the
contract, and the obligations of each party.
-continued-
�3(32
I.
Schedule LP-2 (cont.)
Character of Service:
Page 5
A.C.; 60 cycles per second, single phase, 120/240 volts; three
phase, 120/240, 120,208, 240/480, 277/480, 2300/4160, 7200/12,470
volts, as available at point of service. Three phase customers
served via underground primary to pad -mounted transformers will
be offered only 120/208 or 277/480 volt service.
Rate: Demand Charge: $1,125.00 for the first 300 kw of billing demand
or less
$3.25 per kw of billing demand for all over 300 kw
Energy Charge:
2.50q, per kwhr for the first 50 kwhrs per kw of billing demand
2.15q, per kwhr for the next 100 kwhrs per kw of billing demand
1.65(,% per kwhr for all additional kwhrs
Billing Demand:
The billing demand shall be the maximum 15 minute measured kw in
the month, but not less than 75% of the peak demand measured in
the twelve month period ending with the current month.
Where the customer provides an integrating graphic demand meter
satisfactory to the City, off-peak service will be provided for
in the negotiated contract.
Minimum Bill:
$3.75 per kw of billing demand plus applicable power cost adjustment
on the kwhrs used plus applicable tax adjustment.
Power Cost Adjustment:
The net energy charge per kilowatthour under the above rate shall
be increased or decreased to reflect the application of a power
cost adjustment calculated in accordance with Schedule PCA.
Power Factor:
Should the power factor be lower than 0.85 lagging, the City may
adjust the measured demand by multiplying by the ratio of 0.85
to the actual power factor.
Primary Service:
Where service is taken by the customer at the City's available
primary voltage, a credit of 4% of the net bill will be allowed.
Metering may be primary or secondary (corrected for transformer
losses) at the City's option.
-continued-
1 033
Page 6
F. ELECTRIC RATE - SCHEDULE SL
(175 Watt Security Lights)
Applicable: To service 175 watt security lights installed and maintained
by the City for customers at their request. The customer will
be required to contract for this service for a period to be
determined by the City.
Character of Service:
1. Security lighting equipment, including lamps, fixtures,
control units and the necessary security lighting circuits,
transformers, guys, anchors, fittings, etc. will be furnished
by the City subject to the payment of an installation fee as
set by the City.
2. Lamp replacement will be made by the City without additional
charge, except that damage to lamps and luminaries resulting
from vandalism shall be charged to the customer at cost as a
separate item on his monthly bill for service.
Rate: $5.00 per month per light.
Power Cost Adjustment:
The net energy charge per kilowatthour under the above rate shall
be increased or decreased to reflect the application of a power
cost adjustment calculated in accordance with Schedule PCA.
G. ELECTRIC RATE - SCHEDULE PCA
(Power Cost Adjustment Factor)
The formula for calculation of the Power Cost Adjustment Factor is as
follows:
Power Cost Adjustment = WC - CF _ K 1 (Rounded to the nearest
Factor ($ per kwhr) P 1-L 0.0001(1�)
Definitions:
WC = Total wholesale cost of energy purchased by the City from its
supplier for the immediately preceding billing month. ($)
P = Total energy purchased by the City from its supplier for the
immediately preceding billing month.(kwh)
K = Base wholesale power cost included in the City's retail electric
rate schedules ($.015 per kwh)
-continued-
030336A
Schedule PCA (cont.)
Definitions
Page 7
L = Average system line losses expressed decimally for the preceding
calendar year
CF = Correction factor adjustment to be supplied in the current
billing month to provide for correction of the variance between
actual and estimated power cost adjustment revenues derived from
the Power Cost Adjustment Factor for the second preceding billing
month prior to the current billing month. ($)
The formula for calculation of the Correction Factor is as follows:
where
CF = (A) - (B)
(A) = The actual power cost adjustment revenues received from
application of the Power Cost Adjustment Factor in the
second preceding billing month. ($)
(B) = The actual power cost adjustment revenues which should
have been collected from application of the Power Cost
Adjustment Factor in the second preceding billing month.
($) The formula for calculation of (B) is as follows:
(B) = WC - (P) (K)
SECTION 2. Payment of Bills:
Payments must be received at the City Utility Office on or before the due
date to avoid late charges. Payments received after the due date will be assessed
a penalty equaling 10% of the current month charges with a minimum charge of
$3.00.
SECTION 3. Disconnections and Reconnections:
(A) All electric connections shall be severed for any consumer of public
utilities who fails to pay all or any part of his total bill for such
services within 15 days after the same shall be due and payable as
provided above.
(B) When connections for public utilities services have been severed, the
same shall be restored only when all amounts due the city have been
paid in full. The fee for such meter reconnections shall be set in
policy by the City Council.
(C) All connections, reconnections and disconnections shall be made only by
an authorized representative of the city.
-continued- 03VV5
Page 8
SECTION 4.
In view of the fact that the city must have access to the meters for
reading and service no authorized city representative shall be denied access
to the meter.
SECTION 5.
This rate shall be effective on all invoices submitted by the City
of College Station to users on or about March 1, 1-979.
SECTION 6.
Any ordinance or portion thereof in conflict with this ordinance is
hereby repealed, and the provisions of this ordinance, in case of conflict,
shall govern. If any portion of this ordinance shall be declared invalid,
such declaration shall not affect the other portions thereof.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ORDERED PUBLISHED this the 25th day of January,, 1979.
ROVED
1
Mayor
ATTEST
City Secretary
Public Utility Commission of Texas Page 1 of 14
Substantive Rules
052.02
Substantive Rules
Electric Submetering
052.02.05.057
The Public Utility Commission of Texas has adopted Substantive Rule
052.02.05.057 with several changes in the proposed text.
The first change is' in (a)(4) adding the definition of month or monthly;
the period between any two consecutive meter readings by the utility, either
actual or estimated, at approximately thirty (30) day intervals.
Subsection (c)(1) was changed to permit submeters to be read three days
after the scheduled reading date of the utility's master meter instead of two
days as originally proposed.
Subsection (c)(5) was changed to make it clear that the apartment owner is
to collect no more from the tenants than the apartment owner's net bill to the
utility is.
Subsection (c)(6) added a subsection (H) stating that the tenant's bill
must show a date by which the tenant must pay his bill to the apartment owner.
Subsection (c)(7) added a sentence requiring that the report which the
apartment owner must make regarding any dispute over a bill with a tenant must
be completed within thirty days from the date the tenant notifies the apartment
owner of the dispute.
Subsection (d)(4) added a phrase which required that meter testing must
be made only during reasonable business hours and not solely at the convenience of
the tenant.
Subsections (d)(12) and (13) were changed to make it clear that apartment
hoses c; cld be su`-etere� by either inuction or ele_trc�nic , -ters.
03037
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 2 of 14
The Public Utility Commission of Texas by authority of art. 1446(d) V.A.C.S.
has adopted Substantive Rule 052.02.05.057, to read as follows:
052.02.05.057 Electric Submetering
(a) General Rules
(1) Purpose and Scope of Rules
(A) These rules are intended to establish a comprehensive
regulatory system to assure that the practices involving
submetering and billing of dwelling units are just and
reasonable to the tenant and the apartment owner and to
establish the rights and responsibilities of both the
apartment owner and tenant. These rules shall be given
a fair and impartial construction to obtain these
objectives and shall be applied uniformly regardless of
race, color, creed, sex, or marital status.
(B) For purposes of enforcement, both utilities and apartment
owners are subject to the enforcement pursuant to the
Public Utility Regulatory Act, which may involve civil
penalties of up to $5,000 for each offense and criminal
penalties for willful and knowing violations.
(2) Application
These rules shall apply tc existing apartment houses utilizing
electrical submetering as of the effective date of these rules
as well as those PDart-1!'t +,cases knish en_age In el�.=-ric;z`
3038
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 3 of 14
submetering at any subsequent date. By statutory requirement,
after January 1, 1978, no incorporated city or town, including
a home -rule city or other political subdivision of the state,
may issue a permit, certificate, or other authorization for
the construction or occupancy of a new apartment house or
conversion to a condominium unless the construction plan pro-
vides for individual metering by the utility company or
submetering by the owner of each dwelling unit for the measure-
ment of the quantity of electricity, if any, consumed by the
occupants within that dewlling unit. Therefore, these rules
shall also apply to such apartment houses and condominiums in
the event submetering is chosen.
(3) Severability Clause
The adoption of these rules will in no way preclude the Public
Utility Commission from altering or amending them in whole or
in part, or from requiring any other or additional service,
equipment, facility, or standard, either upon, complaint or upon
its own motion or upon application of any utility. Further-
more, these rules will not relieve in any way an apartment
owner or tenant from any of its duties under Texas Revised
Civil Statues, article 1446(d), Sections 1-4 or other laws of
this state or the United States. If any provision of these
rules is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other
provisions or applica.ions of these rules which can be given
e`'ect the invalid; cr3visien cr application, and to
L0 39
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 4 .of 14
this end, the provisions of these rules are declared to be
severable. These rules shall not be construed so as to
enlarge, diminish, modify, or alter the jurisdiction, powers,
or authority of the Commission or the substantive rights of
any person.
(4) Definitions
As used in these rules, unless the context requires otherwise,
the following words shall have the indicated meaning:
(A) Apartment House: "Apartment house" means a building or
buildings containing more than five dwelling units all
of which are rented primarily for nontransient use, with
rental paid at intervals of one week or longer. Apartment
house shall include residential condominiums, whether
rented or owner occupied.
(B) Apartment Owner: For purposes of enforcement, record
keeping, and reporting, "apartment owner" shall mean any
owner, operator or manager of an apartment house engaged
in electrical submetering.
(C) Bulletin: A Commission publication printed twice monthly
containing information about the Commission such as
notices of hearings, orders, decisions, rules and other -
information of general interest to the public. It shall
be sent to all persons and ac-E^cies requesting to he -pint
on L builetln r.ailing list and paying t-e applicable r
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 5 of 14
(D) Commission: The Public Utility Commission of Texas.
(E) Dwelling Unit: "Dwelling unit" means a room or rooms
suitable for occupancy as a residence containing kitchen
and bathroom facilities.
(F) Electric Metering: Individual apartment dwelling unit
metering performed by a utility company.
(G) Electric Submetering:* Apartment dwelling unit metering
performed by the apartment owner.
(H) Hearing: Any proceeding based on an application, petition,
complaint, or motion.
(I) Master Meter: A meter used to measure, for billing pur-
poses, all electric usage of an apartment house, including
common areas, common facilities and dwelling units therein.
(J) Month, or Monthly: The period between any two consecutive
meter readings by the utility, either actual or estimated,
at approximately thirty (30) day intervals..
(b) Records and Reports
(1) The apartment owner shall maintain and make available for
inspection by the tenant the following records:
(A) the billing from the utility to the apartment owner for
the current month and the twelve (12) preceding months,
(B) the calculation of the average cost per kile,.jatt-hour
for the current Month and the twelve (12) preceding mcnths,
(C) all sut-=-ter reEcin^_s and tenant billings for the current
r..cr,th and the t :el te (12 ) arecedi na months ,
(*ft1
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 6 of 14
(D) all submeter test results for the current month and the
twelve (12) preceding months.
(2) Records shall be made available at the resident manager's office
during reasonable business hours or, if there is no resident
manager, at the dwelling unit of the tenant at the convenience
of both the apartment owner and tenant.
(3) All records shall be made available to the Commission upon
request.
(c) Billing
(1) Bills shall be rendered for the same billing period as that of
the utility, generally monthly, unless service is rendered for
less than that period. Bills shall be rendered as promptly as
possible following the reading of the submeters. The submeters
shall be read within three days of the scheduled reading date
of the utility's master meter.
(2) The unit of measurement shall be a kilowatt-hour (KWH).
(3) The apartment owner shall be responsible for determining that
the energy billed to any dwelling unit shall be only for energy
consumed within that unit, and so metered.
(4) The apartment owner shall not impose any extra charges on the
tenant over and above those charges which are billed by the
utility to the apartment owner.
(5) The tenant's bill shall be calculated in the following manner:
after the apart-:ent electric bill is received from the utility,
the apartment c,. er shall
ci.i�e
the total
net c-lar_es for
�3()42
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
c 052.02
�rw
Page 7. of 14
electrical consumption, plus applicable tax, by the total
number of kilowatt-hours to obtain an average cost per kilowatt-
hour. This average kilowatt-hour cost shall then be multiplied
by each tenant's kilowatt-hour consumption to obtain the charge
to the tenant. The computation of the average cost per kilowatt-
hour shall not include any penalties charged by the utility to
the apartment owner for disconnect, reconnect, late payment, or
other similar service charges.
(6) The tenant's bill shall show all of the following information:
(A) The date and reading of the submeter at the beginning
and at the end of the period for which the bill is rendered.
(B) The number of kilowatt-hours metered.
(C) The computed rate per kilowatt-hour.
(D) The total amount due for electricity used.
(E) A clear and unambiguous statement that the bill is not
from the electric utility, which shall be named in the
statement.
(F) The name and address of the tenant to whom the bill is
applicable.
(G) The name of the firm rendering the submetering bill and
the name or title, address and telephone number of the
person or persons to be contacted in case of a billing
dispute.
M The date by which the tenant must pay the bill.
EM
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 8 of 14
(7) In the event of a dispute between the tenant and the apartment
owner regarding any bill, the apartment owner shall forthwith
make such investigation as shall be required by the particular
case, and report the results thereof to the tenant. The
investigation and report shall be completed within thirty (30)
days from the date the tenant notifies the apartment owner of
the dispute.
(8) The tenants of any d;-telling unit in an apartment house whose
electrical consumption is submetered shall be allowed by the
apartment owner to review and copy the master billing for the
current month's billing period and for the twelve (12) preced-
ing months, and all submeter. readings of the entire apartment
house for the current month and for the twelve (12) preceding
months.
(9) All rental agreements between the apartment owner and the
tenants and dwelling units therein shall clearly state that
the dwelling unit is submetered, that the bills will be issued
thereon, that electrical consumption for all common areas and
common facilities will be the responsibility of the apartment
owner and not of the tenant, and that any disputes relating
to the computation of the tenant's bill and the accuracy of
the submetering device will be between the tenant and the
apartment owner.
(10) Esti;-ated bl its s::all not be re,,ccred unless tl;e meter has
been ta-D_red or is out c; order, and in s::ch case the
bi 11 sha i i be distinctly rart:e;; as s:;ch.
03044
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 9. of 14
(d) Submeters
(1)
Submeter Requirements
(A) Use of submeter: All electrical energy sold by an apart-
ment owner shall be charged for by meter measurements.
(B) Installation by apartment owner: Unless otherwise
authorized by the Commission, each apartment owner shall
be responsible for providing, installing and maintaining
all submeters necessary for the measurement of electrical
energy to its tenants.
(2)
Submeter Records
Each apartment owner shall keep the following records:
(A) Submeter equipment record: Each apartment owner shall
keep a record of all of its submeters, showing the
tenant's address and date of the last test.
(B) Records of submeter tests: All submeter tests shall be
properly referenced to the submeter record provided for
herein. The record of each test made shall show the
identifying number of the submeter, the standard meter
and other measuring devices used, the date and kind of
test made, by whom made, the error (or percentage of
accuracy) at each load tested, and sufficient data to
permit verification of all calculations.
(3)
SubMeter Readings
Submeter unit ir,:ic2,�ion: In ceneral each meter shall Indic_= e
dearly the rc`' '.:^icy c`:3r^e is -a-4e to tie :Er.-. _.
45
Public Utility Commission of Texas Page 10 of 14
Substantive Rules
052.02
(4) Submeter Tests on Request of Tenant
Each apartment owner shall, upon the request of a tenant, and,
if the tenant so desires, in the tenant's presence or in that
of the tenant's authorized representative, make a test of the
accuracy of the tenant's submeter. The test shall be made
during reasonable business hours at a time convenient to the
tenant desiring to observe the test. If the submeter tests
within the accuracy standards for self-contained watt-hour
meters as established by the latest edition of American
National Standards Institute, Incorporated, Standard C12
(American National Code for Electricity Metering), a charge of
up to $15.00 may be charged.the tenant for making the test.
However, if the submeter has not been tested within a period
of one year, or if the submeter's accuracy is not within the
accuracy standards for self-contained watt-hour meters as
established by the latest edition of American National Standards
Institute, Incorporated, Standard C12, no charge shall be made
to the tenant for making the test. Following completion of
any requested test, the apartment owner shall promptly advise
the tenant of the results of the test.
(5) Bill Adjustment Due to Submeter Error
If any submeter is found to be not within the accuracy stan-
dards for self-contained watt-hour neters as established ty
the late,. edition of American National Standards Instl+_ _,
Incorporated, Stancaru C12, prcrer correction shall be race
1 • •
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 11 of 14
of previous readings for the period of one month immediately
preceding the test, or from the time the submeter was in
service since last tested, but not exceeding one month, as
the submeter shall have been shown to be in error by such
test and an adjusted bill shall be rendered. No refund is
required from the apartment owner except to the tenant last
served by the submeter prior to the testing. If a submeter
is found not to register for any period, unless bypassed or
tampered with, the apartment owner may make a charge for units
used, but not metered, for a period not to exceed one month
based on amounts used under similar conditions during periods
preceding or subsequent thereto, or during the corresponding
period in previous years.
(6) Bill Adjustment Due to Conversion
If, during the 90-day period preceding the installation of
electric meters or submeters, an apartment owner increases
rental rates, and such increase is attributable to increased
costs of utilities, then such apartment owner shall immediately
reduce the rental rate by the amount of such increase and
shall refund all of such increase that has previously been
collected within said 90-day period.
(7) Location of Submeters
Subrieters and service switches in conjunction with the sub -
meter shall be installed in accordance with the latest editicn
c� Incorperated,
IR
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 12 of 14
Standard C12, or other standards as may be prescribed by the
Commission, and will be readily accessible for reading, test-
ing and inspection, where such activities will cause minimum
interference and inconvenience to the tenant.
(8) Submeter Testing Facilities and Equipment
(A) Each apartment owner shall engage an independent qualified
expert to provide such instruments and other equipment
and facilities as may be necessary to make the submeter
tests required by these rules. Such equipment and
facilities shall generally conform to American National
Standards Institute, Incorporated, Standard C12, unless
otherwise prescribed by the Commission, and shall be
acceptable to the Commission and shall be available at
all reasonable times for the inspection by its authorized
representatives.
(B) Portable Standards: Each apartment owner engaged in
electrical submetering shall, unless specifically excused
by the Commission, provide or utilize a testing firm which
provides portable test instruments as necessary for test-
ing billing submeters.
(C) Reference Standards: Each apartment owner shall provide
or have access -to suitable indicating electrical ins�-
tt-
ments as reference standards for insuring the accuracy
of shop and portable instruments used for testing billing
'`460e s ters . W04 •
M
Public Utility Commission of Texas Page 13 of 14
Substantive Rules
052.02
(D) Testing of Reference Standards: Reference standards of
all kinds shall be submitted once each year or on a
scheduled basis approved by the Commission to a stan-
dardizing laboratory of recognized standing, for the
purpose of testing and adjustment.
(E) Calibration of Test Equipment: All shop and portable
instruments used for testing billing submeters shall be
calibrated by comparing them with a reference standard
at least every one hundred and twenty (120) days during
the time such test instruments are being regularly used.
Test equipment shall at all times be accompanied by a
certified calibration card signed by the proper authority,
giving the date when it was last certified and adjusted.
Records of certifications and calibrations shall be kept
on file in the office of the apartment owner.
(9) Accuracy Requirements for Submeters
(A) No submeter that exceeds the test calibration limits for
self-contained watt-hour meters as set by the American
National Standards Institute, Incorporated, Standard C12,
shall be placed in service or left in service. Whenever
on installation, periodic, or other tests, a submeter is
found to exceed these limits, it shall be adjusted.
(B) Adjust-ments: Submeters shall be adjusted as close as
possible to the canciticn of zero error. The'tolerzi:,ces
are scecified cnl_: " al ica,r `cr rezessary varlaticns.
Public Utility Commission of Texas
Substantive Rules
052.02
Page 14 of 14
(10) Submeter Tests Prior to Installation
No submeter shall be placed in service unless its accuracy
has been established. If any submeter is removed from actual
service and replaced by another submeter for any purpose what-
soever, it shall be properly tested and adjusted before being
placed in service again.
(11) Testing of Submeters in Service
Submeters shall be tested at least annually unless specified
otherwise by the Commission.
(12) Unless otherwise provided by the Commission, no dwelling unit
may be submetered unless all duelling units in the apartment
house are submetered.
(13) All Submeters in an apartment house which are served by the
same master meter shall be of the same type, such as induction
or electronic.
This rule shall take effect on October 24, 1977.
Issued in Austin, Texas, on October 3, 1977.
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