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(continued) mmission approval. Each form must be retained as a record for at least two years at the station where the tests were made.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-303, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-308
Meter readings.
A meter is required to record or indicate the volume of gas taken, measured in units of cubic feet or other volumetric unit. The gas utility, upon request, must supply the customer with all variables and formulas to enable the customer to compute billable units, typically therms.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-308, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-313
Meter charges.
(1) A gas utility will make no charge for furnishing and installing a meter required to determine the customer's usage for billing of gas service in accordance with the utility's filed tariff. The utility may charge for additional meters or metering equipment requested by the customer or required by the utility's tariff for services beyond determining the customer's bill.
(2) A meter will not be required on flat-rate service.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-313, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-323
Meter set assembly location.
(1) The customer must furnish a convenient and unobstructed location to install the meter set assembly that is acceptable to the gas utility.
(2) A meter set assembly may include a meter, regulator, valve, and adjacent components. The meter set assembly must be accessible to the utility to read, inspect, repair, test, and make changes.
(3) Residential and commercial meter set assemblies should be installed outside at the building wall. All meter set assemblies should be placed, whenever possible, away from doors, windows, building overhangs, intake ducts, and other outside areas where gas can accumulate and migrate into buildings. When it becomes necessary to locate meters away from the building wall or inside buildings, the gas utility must keep a record of these meter set assemblies, including in such record the location, installation date, and leak history. Utilities must submit copies of such records to the commission upon request.
(4) The meter set assembly must be protected with a protective barrier whenever damage by vehicles or marine traffic is likely to occur.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-323, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-328
Meter identification.
Gas utilities must identify each meter by a unique series of serial numbers, letters, or combination of both, placed in a conspicuous position on the meter, along with the utility's name or initials. Utilities must update the name or initials on its meters within three years of a name change.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-328, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-333
Initial accuracy of meters.
(1) Each meter must be in good mechanical shape and adjusted to read as accurately as practical before being placed in service. Meters are required to be free of leaks and deliver gas without noticeable fluctuation due to mechanical operation of the meter.
(2) The gas utility must seal all meters in service or use a sealing method acceptable to the commission.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-333, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-338
Metering tolerance.
A meter must not deviate more than two percent fast or slow at each test rate.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-338, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-343
Statement of meter test procedures.
(1) The gas utility must include a statement in its tariff describing its practice under these rules covering:
(a) The description of test methods used and frequency of tests for determining the meter accuracy. The description must include, but is not limited to:
(i) Test group detail and selection procedures;
(ii) Performance standard details for meters that exceed the maximum allowable tolerance for slow as well as fast meters;
(iii) The corrective action and time period that will be implemented; and
(iv) Reference to an industry standard such as ANSI C12.1 or ANSI/[isrt]ASQC-Z1.9 that will establish acceptable criteria for numerical analysis.
(b) The description of meter testing equipment and accuracy determination methods.
(c) The name of the testing laboratory making meter tests if gas companies do not maintain meter testing equipment.
(d) The testing and adjustment program of meters prior to installation and periodic tests after installation.
(2) If a gas utility changes any portion of the meter test procedure, a revised tariff must be submitted.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-343, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
Notes:
Reviser's note: The brackets and enclosed material in the text of the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency.
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480-90-348
Frequency of periodic meter tests.
(1) The minimum periodic test interval for gas meters, other than orifice meters, is as follows:
(a) Meters with capacity up to three thousand cubic feet per hour - every ten years;
(b) Meters with capacity three thousand cubic feet per hour and over - every five years.
(2) The minimum periodic test interval for orifice meters is as follows:
(a) Differential gauges - at least once each three months;
(b) Orifice plate - at least once each year.
(3) A meter sampling program may be implemented by the utility in lieu of the basic periodic test interval as provided for under WAC 480-90-343, Statement of meter test procedures.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-348, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-353
Meter history records.
(1) Gas utilities must establish records showing the history of each meter purchased and installed. Each record must be maintained for the life of the meter, plus three months. The forms of such records are subject to commission approval and must contain the following information, at a minimum:
(a) The date of purchase;
(b) Gas utility's identification number;
(c) Type, model, or series of meter; and
(d) Current meter location.
(2) The utility must maintain the meter history from the meter's last shop maintenance and "out proof test" through service, removal and "in proof test," plus six months. The records are subject to approval of the commission and must contain, at a minimum, the following information:
(a) Date and nature of repairs;
(b) Date and results of the "out proof test";
(c) Date and results of the "in proof test";
(d) Date, location, and index reading when placed in service;
(e) Date, location, and index reading when removed from service; and
(f) Date, complainant's name and address, and results of any complaint test(s) made while the meter was in service.
(3) Overhauled meters that meet new meter standards may be retired and reenter the system as new meters.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-353, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]
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480-90-999
Adoption by reference.
In this chapter, the commission adopts by reference all or portions of regulations and standards identified below. They are available for inspection at the commission branch of the Washington state library. The publications, effective date, references within this chapter, and availability of the resources are as follows:
(1) Title 18 Code of Federal Regulations, cited as 18 CFR, including all appendices and amendments is published by the United States Government Printing Office.
(a) The commission adopts the version in effect on April 1, 2006.
(b) The accounting and reporting for the types of transactions and events covered by the amendment should not be construed as indicative of their treatment by this commission for ratemaking purposes.
(c) This publication is referenced in WAC 480-90-203 (Accounting system requirements), WAC 480-90-244 (Transferring cash or assuming obligation), WAC 480-90-252 (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Form No. 2), and WAC 480-90-268 (Essential utilities services contracts report).
(d) Copies of Title 18 Code of Federal Regulations are available from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore, http://bookstore.gpo.gov/, and from various third-party vendors.
(2) The Regulations to Govern the Preservation of Records of Electric, Gas, and Water Companies is published by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).
(a) The commission adopts the version in effect in 1985.
(b) This publication is referenced in WAC 480-90-228 (Retention and preservation of records and reports).
(c) The Regulations to Govern the Preservation of Records of Electric, Gas, and Water Companies is a copyrighted document. Copies are available from NARUC, in Washington, D.C.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040, 80.04.160, 81.04.160, and 34.05.353. 06-17-087 (Docket A-060475, General Order No. R-537), § 480-90-999, filed 8/14/06, effective 9/14/06; 05-21-022 (Docket No. A-050271, General Order No. R-521), § 480-90-999, filed 10/10/05, effective 11/10/05; 05-06-051 (Docket No. A-021178 and TO-030288, General Order No. R-518), § 480-90-999, filed 2/28/05, effective 3/31/05; 04-01-152 (General Order No. R-511, Docket No. A-030852), § 480-90-999, filed 12/22/03, effective 1/22/04; 02-18-033 (Docket No. A-020379, General Order No. R-501), § 480-90-999, filed 8/26/02, effective 9/26/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 01-11-003 (Docket No. UG-990294, General Order No. R-484), § 480-90-999, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.]