(A) Any and all services shall be metered unless otherwise specified in writing and approved by the town. The meter shall be of standard manufacture designed to measure the use of electric current in accordance with rules and standards of the Public Service Commission of the state and the regulations of the Electric Utility.
(B) Subject to the provisions and responsibilities of property owners set forth in § 51.092 of this chapter, meters shall be furnished and installed by the Electric Utility. Except for those meters provided by and at the expense of the property owner pursuant to § 51.092, meters shall remain the property of the utility. Meters shall not be tampered with under penalty of law.
(C) The placement of the meter shall be at the option of the Electric Utility.
(D) Upon the installation and registration of the meter or meters, all bills other than service charges, rents, or fees shall be calculated from usage readings registered by the meter.
(E) If more than one meter is installed with individual meters registering different classes of service being charged at different rates, each meter usage shall be considered independently when calculating usage for billing purposes.
(F) When for the convenience of the Electric Utility more than one meter is installed for the same class of service, the sum of the registration from all meters shall be the total and the total usage calculated for billing purposes.
(G) The Electric Utility shall test the accuracy of registration of a single phase meter at seven-year intervals. The Manager may, with the concurrence of the Council, conduct tests at shorter intervals if deemed necessary.
(H) The Electric Utility will test the accuracy of registration of a single phase meter upon written request of a customer to do so and upon the customer depositing a $25 fee with the Electric Utility. If the meter is found to be within the allowable limit of 2% plus or minus error, the deposit shall be retained by the Electric Utility. If the meter is found to be registering in excess of the allowable plus limit, the deposit fee shall be refunded to the depositor.
(I) The Electric Utility will test the accuracy of registration of three-phase or demand meters upon written request of a customer to do so and upon the customer depositing the actual cost of testing the meter as determined by the Manager. If the meter is found to be within the allowable limit of 2% plus or minus error, the deposit shall be retained by the Electric Utility. If the meter is found to be registering in excess of the allowable plus limit, the deposit fee shall be returned to the depositor.
(J) If upon test of any meter at the request of a customer the registering thereof is found to be greater than 2% on the fast side of the limit, the Electric Utility shall refund upon the customer’s written request an amount equal to the excess charged without interest for electricity incorrectly metered for a period equal to one-half of the time elapsed from the previous test, but not for a period greater than six months.
(K) If upon test of any meter at the request of a customer it is found to be greater than 2% on the slow side of the limit, the Electric Utility may make a charge to the customer for electricity incorrectly metered for a period equal to one-half of the time elapsed since the previous test but not for a period greater than six months.
(L) If a meter is found not to have registered for any period, the Electric Utility shall estimate the charge for electricity usage by averaging the amounts registered over similar periods preceding or subsequent thereto, or over corresponding periods in previous years.
(M) No part of the customer charge or the minimum charge for usage and the receipt of service on customer billing shall be subject to refund or additional assessment by the Electric Utility in cases of meter error except as set forth above.
(Ord. 7-1992, passed 12-21-1992; Am. Ord. 1-2009, passed 2-17-2009)