In addition to the rates provided in § 19.00, the company shall have the right to collect such reasonable charges as are necessary to conduct its business and to carry out its reasonable rules and regulations in effect. The charges set forth in divisions (a) and (b) below are approved. Services for which no charge is set out may be performed and charged for by the company at a level established by the normal forces of competition.
(a) Schedule of service charges below are for residential and commercial unless otherwise noted.
(1) Connection charge.
(i) The following connection charges apply:
Schedule Charge
Business hours $35.00
After hours $52.50
(ii) For each reconnection of gas service where service has been discontinued at the same premises for any reason, for the inauguration of service, and for each inauguration of service when the billable party has changed, with the following exceptions:
(A) For a builder who uses gas temporarily during construction or for display purposes.
(B) Whenever gas service has been temporarily interrupted because of system outage or service work done by the company; or
(C) For any reason deemed necessary for company operations.
(2) Returned check charge. A returned check handling charge sixteen dollars and twenty-five cents ($16.25) is made for each check returned to the company for any reason.
(3) Read for change charge. A read for change charge of twelve dollars ($12) is made when it is necessary for a company employee to read the meter at a currently served location because of a change in the billable party.
(4) Delinquent notification charge. A charge of four dollars and seventy-five cents ($4.75) shall be made for each trip by a company employee to a customer’s residence or place of business when there is an amount owed to the company that is past due. This charge shall not be made when the trip is required for safety investigations or when gas service has been temporarily interrupted because of system outage or service work done by the company.
(5) Temporary discontinuance of service charge. Whenever service under this rate schedule has been temporarily discontinued at the request of the customer, a charge of forty-seven dollars ($47.00) for residential and seventy-three dollars and seventy-five cents ($73.75) for commercial plus the appropriate connection charge will be made to reestablish such service for that customer at the same address.
(6) Excess flow valve charges (residential).
(i) A customer may request the installation of an excess flow valve on a new service line or on a service line being replaced provided that the service line will serve a single residence and operate continuously throughout the year at a pressure of not less than ten (10) psig. The customer will pay the actual cost incurred to install the excess flow valve. That cost will include the cost of the excess flow valve, the labor cost required to install the excess flow valve, and other associated costs. The estimated total cost to install an excess flow valve is fifty dollars ($50.00). This cost is based on installing the excess flow valve at the same time a service line is installed or replaced. The excess flow valve will be installed on the service line upstream of the customer's meter and as near as practical to the main.
(ii) A customer requiring maintenance, repair, or replacement of an excess flow valve will be required to pay the actual cost of locating and repairing or replacing the excess flow valve. The cost to perform this service will normally range from two hundred dollars ($200) to two thousand dollars($2,000), depending on the amount of work required. This cost will be determined on an individual project basis.
(iii) This tariff is being filed in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation rule requiring the installation of an excess flow valve, if requested by a customer, on new or replaced service lines that operate continuously throughout the year at a pressure of not less than ten (10) psig and that serve a single residence. The rule further states that the customer will bear all costs of installing and maintaining the excess flow valve.
(b) Main line extension rate. The charge for extending mains beyond the limit established by the franchise for residential and commercial customers shall be based on the actual cost per foot of the extension.
(c) Recovery of connection costs associated with stand-by gas generators (commercial). Commercial customers installing stand-by gas generators to provide service in the event of an interruption in electric service in facilities where gas service is not otherwise provided will reimburse TXU Gas Distribution for the actual cost of acquiring and installing the regulator, service line, and meter required to provide gas service for the stand-by generators. Gas service provided for the stand-by generators will be billed at the applicable commercial rate.
(Ord. 4-3-84-1, passed 4-3-84; Am. Ord. 7-3-84-1, passed 7-3-84; Am. Ord. 10-2-90-1, passed 10-2-90; Am. Ord. 4-1996-3, passed 4-2-96; Am. Ord. 8-02-1, passed 8-6-02)