Chapter PSC 113

PSC 113.0922 PSC 113.0922 Customer request and commission referee tests.

PSC 113.0922(1) (1) Customer request test. Each utility shall promptly make a test of any metering installation upon request of the customer if 24 months or more have elapsed since the last requested test of the meter in the same location. The test shall consist of an inspection of the meter connections and a test for accuracy either at the utility testing shop or on the customer’s premises. The commission staff may order a meter test if it deems necessary. At the customer’s request and expense the installation shall be checked for accidental grounds. The customer shall be furnished a report of the result of the test. (See s. PSC 113.0924 for adjustment of bills for inaccurate meters.)

PSC 113.0922(2) (2) Commission referee test. Upon written application to the commission by any electric utility customer, the commission will referee a test covering the accuracy and integrity of the customer’s power meter installation, including an inspection and verification of the connections and any other check or test which appears desirable. The test will be performed in accordance with ss. PSC 113.0905 through 113.0915 as applicable and shall be made in accordance with s. PSC 113.0811 (1) (c). The commission may limit the availability, number or frequency of such referee tests for the same customer at the same location where, in its judgment, the requests are too frequent, burdensome, abusive, or otherwise unwarranted by the available information or evidence.

PSC 113.0922(3) (3) Meter retention.

PSC 113.0922(3)(a) (a) After a customer requested test. When a utility performs a customer requested test on a customer’s meter under sub. (1) or when the commission requests that a meter be tested, the utility shall keep the tested meter, in “as tested” condition, at a designated location on the utility’s premises for at least one full billing period plus 4 weeks after the test result report is issued so that the meter is available should another meter test be requested. If the meter tests as accurate, the utility may choose to keep the tested meter installed at the customer’s premises for the designated time period rather than storing it at the utility’s premises.

PSC 113.0922(3)(b) (b) After a referee test. When a utility performs a referee test on a customer’s meter under sub. (2), the utility shall keep the tested meter, in “as tested” condition, at a designated location on the utility’s premises for at least 10 business days after the test result report is issued so that the meter is available should further testing or review be needed. If the meter tests as accurate, the utility may choose to keep the tested meter installed at the customer’s premises for the designated time period rather than storing it at the utility’s premises.

PSC 113.0922(3)(c) (c) When a complaint or dispute occurs. When a utility receives a complaint under s. PSC 113.0610 or is notified about a dispute under s. PSC 113.0407 involving a meter-related issue, the utility shall keep the meter, in “as tested” condition, at a designated location on the utility’s premises for at least one full billing period plus four weeks after the complaint or dispute and any appeal of that dispute is resolved so that the meter is available should testing be requested. If the meter was tested during the complaint or dispute process, and it tested as accurate, the utility may choose to keep the tested meter installed at the customer’s premises for the designated time period rather than storing it at the utility’s premises.

PSC 113.0922(4) (4) Records retention requirements. A utility shall keep the complete, original record from any test under this section on file for the time period specified in s. PSC 113.0614.

PSC 113.0922 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00; CR 13-033: am. (title), renum. 113.0922 to (1), cr. (1) (title), renum. 113.093 to (2), cr. (3), (6) Register July 2015 No. 715, eff. 8-1-15; (4) renum. from (6) under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register July 2015 No. 715.

PSC 113.0924 PSC 113.0924 Adjustment of bills for metering inaccuracies. In this section, “meter” or “meters” may refer to metering system(s).

PSC 113.0924(1) (1) Whenever a meter creeps or whenever a varhour meter or watthour meter installation, with or without pulsing devices and recording equipment, is found upon test to have an average error of more than 2% from 100%, or a demand metering installation more than 1.5% plus the errors allowed in s. PSC 113.0812 from 100%, a recalculation of bills for service shall be made for the period of inaccuracy. The recalculation shall be made on the basis that the service meter should be 100% accurate with respect to the working test standard.

PSC 113.0924 Note Note: See s. PSC 113.0818 Determination of average meter error.

PSC 113.0924(2) (2) 

PSC 113.0924(2)(a) (a) If the period of inaccuracy cannot be determined, it shall be assumed that the metering equipment has become inaccurate at a uniform rate since it was installed or last tested except as otherwise provided in pars. (b) and (c).

PSC 113.0924(2)(b) (b) Recalculation of bills shall be on the basis of actual bills except that if the monthly consumption has been reasonably uniform, averaged less than 500 kW hrs. per month and involves no billings other than for kW hrs., the recalculation of bills may be based on the average monthly consumption and the inaccuracy may be assumed to have existed for a period equal to one-half the time elapsed since the meter was installed or since the last previous test, whichever is later, up to a limit of 10 years.

PSC 113.0924(2)(c) (c) The error in registration due to “creep” shall be calculated by timing the rate of “creeping” and assuming that this creeping affected the registration of the meter for 25% of the time since the last test or since the meter was installed.

PSC 113.0924(2)(d) (d) When the average error cannot be determined by test because of failure of part or all of the metering equipment, it shall be permissible to use the registration of check-metering installations, if any, or to estimate the quantity of energy consumed based on available data.

PSC 113.0924(3) (3) If the recalculated bills indicate that more than $1 is due an existing customer or $2 is due a person no longer a customer of the utility, the full amount of the calculated difference between the amount paid and the recalculated amount shall be refunded to the customer. The refund to an existing customer may be in cash or as credit on a bill. If a refund is due a person no longer a customer of the utility, a notice shall be mailed to the last known address and the utility shall upon demand made within 3 months thereafter refund the amount due.

PSC 113.0924(4) (4) If the recalculated bills indicate that more than $10 is due the utility, the utility may bill the customer for the amount due. For all customers, the period of backbilling may not exceed 24 months unless there is evidence of fraud or deception.

PSC 113.0924 Note Note: Section 196.635, Stats., reads as follows:

PSC 113.0924 Note 196.635 Unbilled utility service. All service supplied by a public utility must be billed within 2 years of such service. No customer shall be liable for unbilled service 2 years after the date of the service unless:

PSC 113.0924 Note (1) The utility made a reasonable effort to measure the service, but the customer did not allow the utility access to any device, including but not limited to a meter, necessary to measure service.

PSC 113.0924 Note (2) The customer obtained the service by fraud or deception, including but not limited to theft or tampering with any device, including but not limited to a meter, necessary to measure service.

PSC 113.0924(5) (5) A classified record shall be kept of the number and amount of refunds and charges made because of inaccurate meters, stopped or broken meters, faulty or incorrect metering installations, failure to apply appropriate multipliers or application of incorrect multipliers, misapplication of rates, fraud or theft of service and other erroneous billing. A report from this record for the calendar year shall be submitted to the commission by April 1 of the following year. The report shall show the number and amount of refunds or charges under each of the categories listed above. A record shall also be kept of the complaint or customer requested tests made and the total number for the year included in this report.

PSC 113.0924 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.0925 PSC 113.0925 Billings for grounds. Subject to the utility’s rules setting forth the method of determining a reduced rate herein authorized, if an accidental ground is found on a customer’s wiring or equipment, the utility may estimate the kilowatt-hours lost and bill for them at a reduced rate not less than the generated or purchase cost of the energy, but no such adjustment shall be made for energy supplied after the customer has been notified and has had an opportunity to correct the condition. Any demand (kilowatt) caused by an accidental ground may be billed at a rate lower than that filed for the class of service involved. The utility shall notify the customer of the ground whenever it is found or suspected.

PSC 113.0925 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.0926 PSC 113.0926 Metering with one meter for net energy billing.

PSC 113.0926(1) (1) A single watthour meter may be used for net energy billing where reverse meter registration is intended to occur during reverse power flow through the meter and where the service is rendered under an authorized net-energy billing tariff.

PSC 113.0926(2) (2) When the meter is operating in the reverse registration mode it shall be accurate within plus or minus 2.0% at 2 unity power factor loads, one equal to 10% and the other 100% of the test ampere rating of the meter. A test to determine compliance with this accuracy requirement shall be made by the utility either before or at the time the customer-owned generator is placed in operation in accordance with utility rules. Subsequent tests for accuracy in the reverse registration mode are required only when requested by the customer and shall be at customer cost.

PSC 113.0926(3) (3) Each utility shall maintain a record of the reverse-registration tests required in sub. (2) but for such tests the utility is not required to comply with ss. PSC 113.0901, 113.0911 and 113.0919 with respect to meter testing or meter records.

PSC 113.0926 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

subch. X of ch. PSC 113 Subchapter X — Electric Service Extension

PSC 113.1001 PSC 113.1001 Purpose. The purpose of subch. X is to establish standards for electric utility service extension rules. These standards shall not apply to the inter-connection of customer-owned generation facilities. The primary objective of these standards shall be to provide for an equitable cost relationship between new customers and existing customers. The determination of an equitable relationship shall consider the effect of the extension rule on the environment, the utility’s revenue requirement and the efficient use of electricity.

PSC 113.1001 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.1002 PSC 113.1002 Principles of facilities development. The utility shall provide safe, reliable service with extensions that conform, to the extent possible, to each of the following standards:

PSC 113.1002(1) (1) Route. The utility shall make the extension over the most direct route which is the least expensive and least environmentally degrading. The customer shall provide or shall be responsible for the cost of all right-of-way easements and permits necessary for the utility to install, maintain, or replace distribution facilities. The customer shall either clear and grade such property or pay the utility to clear and grade such property. The customer is responsible for the cost of restoration of the property after the utility has completed installation and backfilling where applicable.

PSC 113.1002(2) (2) Design. The utility shall design and install facilities to deliver service to the customer and the area at the lowest reasonable cost. The facilities shall comply with accepted engineering and planning practices. The design shall consider reasonable needs for probable growth in the area and local land use planning. Unwarranted excess capacity which would result in unnecessary cost increases to the utility and its customers shall be avoided. The utility shall be responsible for the incremental cost of distribution facilities which are in excess of standard design for the customer and normal area growth.

PSC 113.1002(3) (3) Efficient use. The utility’s extension rules shall discouraged the inefficient use of electricity by appropriately relating costs to the charges made for extensions.

PSC 113.1002(4) (4) Cost estimates. The utility shall engineer and estimate the cost of each extension based on reasonable current costs. Current costs may be estimated using job specific costs, average costs per foot or unit, or other costing method as appropriate.

PSC 113.1002 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.1003 PSC 113.1003 Definitions. In. ss. PSC 113.1004 to 113.1010:

PSC 113.1003(1) (1) “Contributed extension” means an extension toward which a customer has made a contribution in aid of construction.

PSC 113.1003(2) (2) “Distribution facilities: includes all primary and secondary voltage wire or cable and its supports, trenches, connection equipment and enclosures and control equipment which are used to extend the distribution system from existing facilities to a point of connection with the service facilities. The cost of right-of-way preparation and restoration to the original condition where appropriate shall be included in the cost of distribution facilities.

PSC 113.1003(3) (3) “Embedded cost” means the original cost of the installed utility plant less both the accumulated depreciation of the plant and associated contributions in aid of construction as recorded in the utility’s books.

PSC 113.1003(4) (4) “Embedded cost allowance” means a construction credit given a customer requesting an extension which reflects the average embedded cost of existing facilities.

PSC 113.1003(5) (5) “Excess facilities” means an extension costing more than five times the average embedded cost allowance for a given customer classification.

PSC 113.1003(6) (6) “Extension” means the addition of transmission, distribution, or service facilities to the existing electric service facilities.

PSC 113.1003(7) (7) “Full cost” of an extension includes the cost of removal of existing facilities if present.

PSC 113.1003(8) (8) “Noncontributed extension” means an extension which costs less than the embedded cost allowance: the customer requesting the extension makes no contribution in aid of construction.

PSC 113.1003(9) (9) “Nonstandard route or design” means facilities which meet one or more of the following criteria:

PSC 113.1003(9)(a) (a) are different from the standard design developed pursuant to s. PSC 113.1002 (2).

PSC 113.1003(9)(b) (b) follow a route different from the route determined in s. PSC 113.1002 (1), or

PSC 113.1003(9)(c) (c) are not in accordance with the general principles of s. PSC 113.1002.

PSC 113.1003(10) (10) “Service drop” means the overhead secondary voltage conductors from the transformer or closest pole or support on the distribution system to the customer’s electric service entrance equipment.

PSC 113.1003(11) (11) “Service facilities” means the transformer, service drop or service lateral and meter.

PSC 113.1003(12) (12) “Service lateral” means the underground secondary voltage conductors from the transformer or closest underground pedestal on the distribution system to the customer’s electric service entrance equipment.

PSC 113.1003(13) (13) “Transmission facilities” means a line providing electric service at 40 kilovolts or more as defined in s. PSC 112.02 (8) and the associated supports, connection equipment and enclosures and control equipment. Transmission facilities also includes the preparation cost of right-of-way and restoration of the property to its original condition where appropriate.

PSC 113.1003(14) (14) “Upgrade” means a modification of existing electric facilities.

PSC 113.1003 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00; correction in (13) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2002 No. 564.

PSC 113.1004 PSC 113.1004 Customer contribution for service facilities.

PSC 113.1004(1) (1) Metering facilities. The utility shall provide the necessary standard metering facilities at no charge to the customer.

PSC 113.1004(2) (2) Service drops and laterals. The utility shall provide standard overhead service drops and standard underground service laterals at not charge to the customer.

PSC 113.1004(3) (3) Transformers. The utility shall provide standard design transformers necessary to service the customer’s load at no charge.

PSC 113.1004(4) (4) Nonstandard service facilities. If the facilities design developed pursuant to s. PSC 113.1002 require nonstandard service facilities or if the customer requests nonstandard facilities, the utility may require the customer to pay a contribution in advance of construction for the portion of the facilities in excess of the standard design.

PSC 113.1004 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.1005 PSC 113.1005 Customer contributions for distribution extensions.

PSC 113.1005(1) (1) Standard designs. The customer shall pay, as a minimum and refundable contribution, the estimated cost of distribution facilities to be installed which is greater than the appropriate average embedded cost allowance for existing distribution facilities.

PSC 113.1005(2) (2) Subdivisions. Developers and subdividers shall pay, as a minimum and refundable contribution, the estimated cost of distribution facilities, to be installed for the area being developed. The contribution is refundable as structures are built and connected to the electric utility facilities.

PSC 113.1005(3) (3) Nonstandard route or design. If a customer requests a route or design which is different from the design proposed by the utility in compliance with the requirements of s. PSC 113.1002, the utility shall require that the customer pay any additional costs as a refundable contribution.

PSC 113.1005(4) (4) Construction charges. The utility shall require that the customer make a contribution in aid of construction if construction requires trenching in rocky soil, frozen ground, or other similar conditions.

PSC 113.1005(5) (5) Request for excess facilities. The utility may require a contract from a customer requesting the installation of excess facilities, as defined in s. PSC 113.1003 (5), requiring the customer to pay recurring operation and maintenance expenses on the portion of the extension which is greater than 5 times the embedded cost allowance. The utility shall provide the commission with the reasons and supporting analysis for each such contract.

PSC 113.1005(6) (6) Payment plans. The utility may require that the contribution in aid of construction be paid in advance of construction or may, at the utility’s option, offer customers an installment payment plan.

PSC 113.1005 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.1006 PSC 113.1006 Embedded cost allowances. The average embedded cost of existing facilities shall be determined annually on a customer classification basis as follows:

PSC 113.1006(1) (1) Energy only customers. For customer classifications billed on an energy usage only basis, the embedded cost of the distribution facilities allocated to those classifications shall be divided by the number of customers in the classification to specify an average embedded cost allowance per customer. The utility may create subclassifications of energy-only commercial classification based on customer service entrance capacity or other electrical loan criteria to specify average embedded cost allowances.

PSC 113.1006(2) (2) Demand and energy customers. For customer classifications billed on a demand and energy usage basis, the embedded cost for distribution facilities allocated to those classifications shall be divided by the total billed demand of those customers to specify an average embedded cost allowance per kilowatt of demand.

PSC 113.1006(3) (3) Street lighting. For street lighting facilities, the embedded cost of distribution facilities allocated to those classifications shall be divided by the number of lighting fixtures to specify an average embedded cost allowance either by type of lighting fixture or by type and size of lighting fixture.

PSC 113.1006(4) (4) Seasonal customers. Seasonal customers shall receive one-half the average embedded cost allowance of a year-round customer for the same customer classification.

PSC 113.1006 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.1007 PSC 113.1007 Refunds.

PSC 113.1007(1) (1) Individual customers.

PSC 113.1007(1)(a) (a) Procedure. The utility shall make refunds to a customer who made a contribution for an extension (a contributed extension) when the utility makes an extension from the contributed extension to a second customer which does not require a contribution from the second customer (a noncontributed extension). The refund shall be equal to the greater of the embedded cost allowance in effect at the time the contributed extension was installed or the current embedded cost allowance. This refund, in either case, shall be reduced by the costs incurred by the utility to design and install the distribution facilities for the second customer. The utility shall not refund more than the total contribution made by any customer. The utility shall make the refund to the customer who made the original contribution or the current property owner of record unless it has a written record from that customer assigning the refund rights to another customer.

PSC 113.1007(1)(b) (b) Period. The utility shall make refunds for the first 5 years after the installation of a contributed extension.

PSC 113.1007(2) (2) Subdivisions.

PSC 113.1007(2)(a) (a) Procedure. As structures are built and connected to the electric utility facilities, the utility shall refund to the developer or subdivider an amount equal to the greater of the embedded cost allowance in effect at the time the contributed extension was installed or the current embedded cost allowance for each customer. This refund shall be reduced by the cost of any additional distribution facilities, if necessary, to serve the new customer.

PSC 113.1007(2)(b) (b) Period. The utility shall make refunds for structures which are built and connected to the utility system within 5 years from the installation of the contributed extension.

PSC 113.1007(3) (3) Extended refund period. A 5-year refund period is required for extensions made after July 1, 1982, if the extension rules in effect at that time provided for a refund and a refund period of less than 5 years.

PSC 113.1007 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.