Okla. Admin. Code § 165:35-25-2 - Extension of distribution systems
(a)
Free extension. The utility shall extend its overhead distribution
lines a distance of three hundred feet (300') to provide service to each bona
fide application for residential service, without cost to the consumer. The
utility may prescribe terms and conditions of extending service to applicants
for other types of service, and for extensions for low load service such as
wells, security lights, and fence charges, and for extension policy required by
law or by the terms of a financing agreement; which provisions, when filed with
and approved by the Commission, shall be deemed to constitute compliance with
this Section.
(b)
Tariff
requirements of extension. A utility shall include in its filed tariffs,
terms and conditions of furnishing underground service which shall provide for
determining and recovery by the utility for the additional cost of providing
underground service, and the responsibility for trenching and backfilling, and
the method of calculating costs of construction.
(c)
Extension above free limit.
If the extension of the distribution system necessary to furnish service to an
applicant or group of applicants is greater than specified in (b) of this
Section, the utility shall require payment of the cost of the extension over
the free limit before extending the distribution system.
(d)
Extension may be made above free
limit when economically justified. In lieu of making an extension
pursuant to (a) and (b) of this Section, the utility may make an extension
above the free limit upon receipt of a lesser payment or no payment, when the
gross anticipated annual revenue from the extension will provide the utility
with adequate return upon its investment, pursuant to a formula approved by the
Commission or contained in its approved terms and conditions of service.
(e)
Determination of the
length and cost of an extension. For purposes of measuring extensions
under this Section, the distance shall be measured along lines of proper
construction from the nearest point of connection to the point of delivery on
the property to be served. A required advance for construction shall be
calculated from the total construction cost of the extension from which there
shall be deducted:
(1) Any cost incident to
excess capacity above that required to serve the applicant or group of
applicants.
(2) Any cost incident
to future expansions or to continue a construction plan of the utility.
(3) The cost of the free extension
to which the applicant would be entitled.
(f)
Extensions applicable to
prospective real estate subdivisions.
(1) In lieu of extensions pursuant to other
provisions of this Section, the utility may require a developer desiring an
extension to a prospective real estate subdivision to make an advance for
construction equal to the estimated total cost of the project before
construction or the extension is started, which advance for construction shall
not draw interest. The term "project" includes the entire distribution
construction necessary to serve the subdivision and all line extensions to
serve the individual parcels of said subdivision. In no case shall the total
amount refunded exceed the amount advanced for construction with the utility.
Consumers locating on an extension made pursuant to this paragraph shall not be
required to make an extension advance for construction.
(2) The utility may require the developer
desiring service to a prospective real estate subdivision to make an advance
for construction equal to the estimated cost of the distribution system without
line extensions. In such cases no refund to the developer will be made upon
connection of individual line extension within the subdivision.
(3) A utility may enter into a contract with
a developer which shall be deemed a special contract governed by OAC
165:35-5-1(c).
(g)
Appeals to the Commission.
If the extension above the free limits is of such length and the future
anticipated revenues therefrom so small that it is doubtful that the extension
would ever make a fair return on the investment, the utility or any interested
person may apply to the Commission for an appropriate order.
(h)
Property of extension. Every
extension shall at all times be the property of the utility, regardless of
whether an advance for construction is made in aid of its construction. At the
end of five (5) years, any unrebated portion of a contribution or advance for
construction made subject to refund shall become the property of the
utility.
(i)
Adoption of
policy by utility. The utility may adopt a policy for extension to be
made for the purpose of serving irrigation wells and/or oil field water
flooding projects and for advances for construction for payment of all or part
of the cost thereof by such consumer, which policy shall be prescribed in its
approved tariffs.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.