N.M. Admin. Code § 17.10.650.12

Current through Register Vol. 36, No. 1, January 14, 2025

Section 17.10.650.12 - ENGINEERING

A.Requirements for good engineering practices:

(1) The gas plant of the utility shall be constructed, installed, maintained, and operated in accordance with accepted good engineering practice in the gas industry to assure, as far as reasonably possible, continuity of service, uniformity in the quality of service furnished, and the safety of persons and property.

(2) In certain instances the commission may authorize the use of pipe other than steel for low pressure transmission and distribution systems. In no case shall a utility deviate from the use of steel pipe without first obtaining authorization from the commission.

B.Acceptable standards: Unless otherwise specified by the commission the utility shall use the applicable provisions in the publications listed below as standards of accepted good practice for construction initiated and operations and testing procedures conducted after the effective date of Second Revised General Order No. 6, codified by 17.10.650 NMAC.

(1) American standard code for "gas transmission and distribution piping system," ASA B31.8-1968.

(2) National board of fire underwriters standard no. 59, July 1962, "the storage and handling of liquefied petroleum gases at utility gas plants".

(3) "Standard methods of gas testing," circular no. 48, national bureau of standards, 1916 (the applicable portions of the circular have been substantially reproduced in the American meter co. handbook E-4 covering the testing of positive displacement gas meters).

(4) "Testing large capacity rotary gas meters, " research paper no. 1741, national bureau of standards journal of research, September 1946.

(5) "Standard method of test for caloric value of gaseous fuels by the waterflow calorimeter," American society for testing materials, standard D 900-55, 1955.

C.Acceptable references: The following publications have not been designated as standards but may be used as guides to acceptable practice.

(1) "Accuracy of the recording gas calorimeter when used with gases of high BTU content," by John H. Eiseman, national bureau of standards, and Elwin A. Potter, gas inspection bureau of the District of Columbia, AGA publication no. CEP-55-13.

(2) "Orifice metering of natural gas," report No. 3 of the AGA gas measurement committee.

D.Adequacy of supply: The production and storage capacity of the utility's plant supplemented by the gas supply regularly available from other sources must be sufficiently large to meet all reasonably expectable demands for firm service.

E.Inspection of gas plant: Each utility shall adopt a program of inspection of its gas plant in order to determine the necessity for replacement and repair. The frequency of various inspections shall be based on the utility's experience and accepted good practice. Each utility shall maintain sufficient records to give evidence of compliance with its inspection program.

N.M. Admin. Code § 17.10.650.12

6-30-88; 17.10.650.12 NMAC - Rn, NMPSC 650.27-650.31, 6-15-05, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXI, Issue 21, November 10, 2020, eff. 11/10/2020