Current through Register Vol. XLII, No. 1, January 3, 2025
Section 150-3-3 - Meter Requirements3.1. Methods of measuring service. 3.1.1. Metered. 3.1.1.a. All electric energy sold within the State of West Virginia shall be by meter measurements, except street lighting, outdoor lighting, traffic signal service and other small fixed loads.3.1.1.b. All customers served under a given rate schedule shall have their energy consumption measured with meters having suitable characteristics.3.1.2. Metering point -- Each point of delivery of service shall be considered as a customer and the metering and billing shall be administered accordingly unless the applicable rate schedule includes provisions, or the consent of the Commission is first obtained, for combined meter readings.3.1.3. Waste or fraud. 3.1..3.a. The utility shall have the right to set meters or other devices for the detection and prevention of fraud or waste, without notice to the customer.3.1.3.b. In any case, where a service meter or service facility has been tampered with so as to interfere with accuracy of registration or indication, the utility whose meter or service facilities have been tampered with shall be entitled to payment for energy or demand used but not registered during a period not exceeding one year prior to the date of discovery of the tampering, unless the time of tampering can be shown, in which case the energy not registered subsequent to such time shall be paid for.3.2. Location of meters. 3.2.1. Utility rules and regulations -- Each utility may establish rules and regulations governing the service entrance wiring and equipment to be installed on customer's premises; such rules and regulations shall be effective when they have been filed with and approved by the Public Service Commission. In the absence of special rules and regulations filed by a utility, such utility shall require compliance with the following general provisions.3.2.2. Accessibility -- All meters owned and installed by the utility shall be easily accessible for reading, testing and making necessary adjustments and repairs. When a number of meters are grouped at the same location, each service entrance equipment should be tagged, so as to indicate the circuit served by it.3.2.3. Outdoor. 3.2.3.a. Where meters are installed outdoors on customer's premises they shall be placed on the exterior of buildings in locations readily accessible to authorized company representatives for meter reading, testing and maintenance and shall not be subject to severe vibration.3.2.3.b. Meters should not be installed in locations where the meter readers or servicemen may inadvertently damage flower beds, or shrubbery, or where it will be necessary for them to climb over fences or other obstructions to service the meters. They shall not be placed in locations where they may be accidentally damaged or on buildings where they will cause inconvenience either to the customer or to the company's representative.3.2.4. Indoor -- Where meters are installed indoors on customer's premises they shall be located in a clean, dry, safe place as free as possible from vibration.3.2.5. Forbidden locations -- Meters should not be installed in basements where the only entrance is through a trap door or in coal or wood bins or on partitions forming such bins, nor on any unstable partitions or supports. They should not be installed in attics, bedrooms, bath or toilet rooms, restaurant kitchens, stairways, ventilating or elevator shafts, over windows, doors or in any like location. They should not be installed near belts or other moving machinery.3.2.6. Precautions for demand meters -- Demand meters, in general, may be located the same as watthour meters but due to the fact that they may be provided with a clock mechanism (either spring or motor driven) that is more sensitive to temperature changes, moisture and dust than watthour meters, the locations should be such that the severity as far as these conditions will be minimized.3.2.7. Exemption -- Districts subject to flood are exempted from this rule as it applies to the location of meters.3.2.8. Duty of customer. 3.2.8.a. Proper provision must be made for the installation of the utility's meter. Unless the meter is to be mounted upon a panel installed within a cabinet or similar device, such provisions shall consist of a board constructed in accordance with the requirements of the utility, or where meter sockets or similar meter mounting devices are used, they are to be mounted plumb on flat surfaces and, in general, located at a point mutually agreeable to the customer and the utility. At least fifteen (15) inches clear space must be available on all sides of the meter mounting device and there must be a minimum of thirty-six (36) inches access space in front of the meter. Electric meters must not be installed in close proximity to water or gas meters or anything liable to damage the meter or thereby constitute a hazard to the customer's safety and continuity of the service.3.2.8.b. When more than one meter is to be installed in the same building, it is recommended that provisions be made by the customer for grouping the meters at one location. When such grouping of single phase meters is made, they must not be mounted closer than 7 inches center to center.3.3. Station meters and records. 3.3.1. Equipment. 3.3.1.a. Each utility generating electric power shall install and maintain in service in each generating station such integrating and recording meters as may be necessary to obtain a record of station voltage, of gross and net output, and of peak or integrated demand.3.3.1.b. Each utility purchasing electric power shall maintain in service such meters or records as may be required to furnish a proper record of its purchases, and in case such utility serves more than 750 customers, it shall maintain available for use a recording voltmeter suitable for securing a record of voltage of supply.3.4. Master metering. 3.4.1. Multi-unit residential dwellings such as apartment houses, row houses, condominiums, etc., should be individually metered rather than master metered unless the utility serving the facility, the owner or the designer of the facility or other interested party establishes by clear and convincing evidence that an exemption to this rule would be proper. For the purposes of these rules, hospitals, nursing homes, motels and dormitories are not considered to be multi-unit residential dwellings.3.4.2. Each electric utility should encourage separate metering of multi-unit buildings constructed for other than residential purposes (office buildings for example) whenever reasonable considering conservation of energy resources, economics, technical and other practical constraints. For the purposes of these rules, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, motels and dormitories are not considered to be multi-unit residential dwellings.