947.19 GAS SERVICE CURTAILMENT.

   (a)   In the event an emergency condition exists in the Gas Division of the City’s Gas and Water Department, whether physical, economical or otherwise, beyond the control of the Division or Department to immediately remedy and because of which the Division or Department cannot fully satisfy the full gas requirements of its customers, then it shall be necessary for the Director of Gas and Water or his designee, upon authorization of the City Manager or his designee, to:

      (1)   Request all customers to voluntarily conserve gas usage by reducing the temperature/thermostat settings of their heating equipment and curtailing other gas usage, if time permits; or

      (2)   Implement mandatory curtailment, reduction or interruption of gas service to permit if practicable maintenance of limited gas service to residential properties, hospitals, nursing homes and the like, if the voluntary option set forth in subsection (a)(1) hereof is inadequate to reduce system demand to a level determined by said Director or his designee to be safe or appropriate.

   (b)   The Director of Gas and Water shall promulgate such rules and procedures as deemed necessary to implement the gas curtailment process as authorized and set forth herein. Additionally, a gas curtailment plan may be applied to all “General Service” customers and to those “Distribution Delivery Service” customers who cannot specifically attest to and guarantee their total gas supply from their independent supplier for each day of the curtailment period.

   (c)   If a Distribution Delivery Service customer’s supplier fails to deliver into Hamilton’s system that customer’s full requirements, which it has specifically guaranteed for the curtailment period on a daily basis, the City through its Gas Division management may either:

      (1)   Execute the provisions included in that customer’s existing transportation contract with the City; or

      (2)   Physically disconnect that customer from the City’s gas distribution system.

   (d)   If a curtailment process is implemented for certain “General Service” customers, the City will provide, on a best efforts basis, “plant protection” gas to those customers. Plant protection gas, for this purpose, is considered to be a very small portion of the normal gas usage for the existing conditions.

   (e)   Failure of a customer to comply with a curtailment request can result in that customer being physically disconnected from the City’s gas distribution system.

(Ord. 2003-3-23. Passed 3-26-03.)