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GLACIER ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
POLICY NO. 503
METER TESTING
ROUTINE TESTING
The cooperative shall test all watt-hour meters periodically for accuracy and mechanical condition. All meters and associated devices shall be tested within 30 days after they are removed from service. Such tests shall be made before the meters and associated devices are adjusted, repaired, returned to active service or retired.
LIMITS
All watt-hour meters must be accurate to within plus or minus 2% at full and light load.
NEW METERS
a. The Cooperative will only sample test new meters to ascertain if they meet
the required accuracy limits
REQUEST TEST
The cooperative may, upon request of a member-consumer and an advance payment of $30.00, will test the accuracy of the meter, provided that such tests are not made more frequently than once in twelve months. The member-consumer, or a representative, may be present when the meter is tested. Whenever, a meter creeps, or whenever a metering installation is found upon any test to have an average error of more than 2% for watt-hour metering; or a demand metering error of more than 1.5% in addition to the errors allowed under accuracy of demand metering; an adjustment of bills for service for the period of inaccuracy shall be made in the case of over-registration and under-registration. The amount of the adjustment shall be calculated on the basis that the metering equipment should be 100% accurate with respect to the testing equipment used to make the test.
If the meter is found to be accurate within the above limits, the Cooperative may retain the $30.00 advance payment
A report of the results of the test shall be made to the member-consumer within a reasonable time after completion of the test, and a record of each test shall be kept on file at the office of the Cooperative.
ADJUSTMENT OF BILLS
Whenever a meter creeps or whenever a metering installation is found upon any test to have an average error of 2% for watt-hour metering; or a demand metering error of more than 1.5% in addition to the errors allowed under accuracy of demand metering; an adjustment of bills for service for the period of inaccuracy shall be made in the case of over-registration and shall be made in the case of under-registration. The amount of the adjustment shall be calculated on the basis that the metering equipment should be 100% accurate with respect to the testing equipment used to make the test. For watt-hour metering installations the average accuracy shall be the arithmetic average of the percent registration at 10% of rates test current and at 100% of rated test current giving the 100% rated test current registration a weight of four and the 10% of rated test current registration a weight of one.
DETERMINATION OF ADJUSTMENT
Recalculation of bills shall be on the basis of actual monthly consumption except that if services has been measured by self-contained single-phase meters and for three-wire network meters and involves no billing other than for kWh, the consumption is determined from the most recent thirty-six months consumption data.
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 installation, if any, or to estimate the quantity of energy consumed based on available data. The member-consumer must be advised of the failure and of the basis for the estimate of quantity billed. The periods of error shall be used as defined in immediately following subsections 1, and 2.
If the date when over-registration began can be determined, such date shall be the starting point for determination of the amount of the adjustment. If the date when over-registration began cannot be determined it shall be assumed that the error has existed since the last previous test, meter installation date or the most recent 24 months. The over-registration due to creep shall be calculated by timing the rate of creeping and assuming that the creeping affected the registration of the meter for 25% of the time since the more recent of either metering installation or last previous test.
If the date when under-registration began can be determined, it shall be that starting point for determination of the amount of the adjustment. If the date when under-registration began cannot be determined, it shall be assumed that the error has existed since the more recent of meter installation, last previous test, or for the last24 months.
The under-registration due to creep shall be calculated by timing the rate of creeping and assuming that this creeping affected the registration for 25% of the time since the more recent of either metering installation of last previous test.
REFUNDS
If the recalculated bills indicate that one dollar or more is due an existing member-consumer or two dollars or more is due a person no longer a member-consumer of the Cooperative, the Cooperative shall refund the full amount of the calculated difference between the amount paid and the recalculated amount. Refunds shall be made to the two most recent member-consumers who received service through the metering installation found to be in error. In the case of a previous member-consumer who is no longer a member-consumer of the Cooperative, a notice of the amount subject to refund shall be mailed to such previous member-consumer at the last known address, and the Cooperative shall, upon demand, within three months refund the same. Refunds shall be completed within six months following the date of the metering installation test.
BACKBILLING
If the recalculation of billing indicates that an amount due the cooperative is equal to or in excess of amount set fourth in section VIII. Above as minimum refunds, the Cooperative may bill the member-consumer for the amount due.
The minimum sum for which the Cooperative will commence back billing for amounts due to under-registration is a sum in excess of the amounts set forth in section VIII. As minimum refunds. Back billing shall be rendered no later than six months following the date of the metering installation test.
OVERCHARGES
When a member-consumer has been overcharged as a result of any of the following; consecutive incorrect readings of the meter, incorrect application of the rate schedule, incorrect connection of the metering installation or other similar reasons, the amount of the overcharge shall be adjusted, refunded or credited to the member-consumer. The calculation of the overcharged will be limited to the time the error is known to have existed, and in any event for no more than twelve months.
UNDERCHARGES
When a member-consumer has been undercharged as a result of two or more Cooperative, consecutive incorrect readings of the meter, incorrect application of the rate schedule, incorrect connection of the metering installation or other similar reasons, the Cooperative will calculate the under-charged for the time the error is known to have existed, and in any event for no more than twelve months.
SPECIAL METERING INSTALLATIONS
The Cooperative shall have the right, at its option and at its expense, to place special meters or instruments on the premises of a member-consumer for the purpose of special tests of all, or part of the member-consumer’s loads.
