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Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
THE CORPORATION OF THE CITf OF GRAND FORKS
ELECTRICAL UTILITY REGULATION BYLAW NO. 2067
A BYLAW TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION AND CONTROL OF THE
ELECTRICAL UTILITY OF THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS
AND IMPOSE RATES, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS FOR THE SUPPLY OF
ELECTRICITY SERVICE.
The Municipal Council of the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks, in open meeting lawfully
assembled, ENACTS as follows:
Citation
1. This bylaw may be cited as the "Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw No. 2067".
Definitions
2. In this bylaw, unless the content otherwise requires, the following definitions will apply:
2.1 "Bi-Monthly" means every two-month period;
2.2 "Bylaw Enforcement Officer" means every person(s) designated by Council as a Bylaw
Enforcement Officer for the City or otherwise authorized under the Offence Act, and every
Peace Officer;
2.3 "City" means the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks;
2.4 "Customer" means an Owner of real property to which electrical energy is supplied by the
City;
2.5 "Council" means the elected Council of the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks;
2.6 "Electrical Service" means the supply of electricity from the City to any Premises;
2.7 "Electrical Utility" means the City's electrical distribution system and includes all the
structures, switchgear, transformers, poles, wires, cables, meters and related apparatus
and facilities used in the receiving, distribution and measuring of electrical power and
energy and which comprise the electrical distribution system. It also includes all land,
easements, rights-of-way, buildings, vehicles, tools, or other things, which, by their
necessity and usage, form an essential part of the electrical distribution system;
2.8 "Fees and Charges Bylaw" means the City of Grand Forks Fees and Charges Bylaw No.
1958, 2014, as amended or replaced from time-to-time;
2.9 "Manager of Operations" means the Manager of Operations for the City of Grand Forks,
their deputy or assistant, or other individual designated to oversee day-to-day operation
of the Electrical Utility;
Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
2.10 "Meter" means any device used for measuring either or both the demand and consumption
of electricity;
2.11 "Owner" has the same meaning as in the Community Charter, as amended from time to
time;
2.12 "Point of Delivery" means the first point of connection between the City's electrical
distribution system and the Customers' electrical facilities. This will be at the service mast
on overhead services (not including the attachment point for the overhead wire) and at the
property line on underground secondary services;
2.13 "Power Factor" means the percentage determined by dividing the Customer's demand
measured in kilowatts (real power) by the same demand measured in kilovolt-amperes
(apparent power);
2.14 "Premises" means the land occupied by the Customer together with any buildings, works,
or improvements, which have been erected or constructed thereon;
2.15 "Rate or Rates" includes every toll, rate, security deposit, penalty and interest on arrears
or any other lawfully collectible charges applicable under this bylaw for the provision and
delivery of electricity in any form or services which are in any way related to the delivery
of electricity;
2.16 "Service" means the supply of electricity from the City to any Premises, and where the
context requires, the Electrical Utility used for the purposes of the supply of electricity;
2.17 "Service Area" means the area within the boundaries of the City currently serviced by the
City's Electrical Utility, as outlined in "Schedule A";
2.18 "Service Connection" means that portion of the distribution system facilities extending
from the City's distribution circuits to the Point of Delivery. They include but are not
necessarily limited to the following types:
2.18.1 "Overhead Service" - That portion of an overhead service connection extending not
more than 30 meters onto the Customer's property and not beyond the first
intermediate support on such property.
2.18.2 "Dip Service" - A service connection provided from the City's overhead circuits that is
underground where it crosses the Customer's property line.
2.18.3 "Underground Service" - A service connection provided from the City's underground
circuits.
2.19 "Service Entrance" is the point on the Customers premises at which the Point of Delivery
is between the City's system and the Customer's system;
2.20 "Temporary Service" means a Service provided to meet a temporary need (no longer
than 270 days connected) not to exceed 30 meters in length from the City's electric
distribution system and does not include the supply of a periodical or seasonal service
requirement that may occur at the same location.
Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
General Provisions
3. To the extent that the City has not already established the Service, the City hereby
establishes the Service of supplying electricity from the Electrical System to properties in
the area defined by Schedule A by operating, constructing, maintaining, regulating,
repairing, and imposing requirements on the Electrical System.
4. The City does not guarantee a constant supply or quality of electricity but will make
reasonable efforts to supply electricity in sufficient quantities.
5. The City is not responsible or liable for any loss, injury, damage or expense caused by or
resulting from any interruption, termination, failure or defect in the supply of electricity.
6. The City retains ownership of all electrical equipment and facilities up to the Point of
Delivery, including without limitation all electrical metering devices owned by the City.
7. A person shall follow all applicable standards, codes, and regulations for electrical work.
8. Net metering is only available for residential usage with solar (PV) installations of not more
than ten (10) kVA, however the Manager of Operations may approve a commercial photo-
voltaic service greater than ten (10) RVA, at their discretion, if it creates positive operating
and financial impacts to the electric utility and its rate payers.
9. A person may be supplied electricity from the Electrical Utility provided they meet the
conditions of this bylaw.
Regulating Electrical Services
Administration
10. The Manager of Operations is authorized to make orders, deliver notices, approve or
refuse to approve applications for service connections and to make other decisions about
specific service connections and the Electrical Utility, and otherwise administer this Bylaw.
Applications and Permits
11. A person shall not connect or disconnect an Electrical Service to the C/Y/s Electrical
System without prior authorization from the Manager of Operations.
12. A person shall apply for a provision of Service using the City's form and process as
amended from time to time.
13. The Manager of Operations will process a completed application in a timely manner.
14. The Manager of Operations will not process an application until an applicant pays the
applicable fees and charges.
15. The Customer shall be responsible for the installation of the service entrance and the
meter location, which shall be located at a point satisfactory to the City.
Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
16. A potential Customer shall obtain any easements or statutory rights of way, in favour of
the City and with wording satisfactory to the City, required by the City or others to permit
the installation of an electrical Service.
17. The customer must provide Technical Safety BC declaration that the premise is safe to
connect service to.
Standards
18. The City supplies the following secondary supply voltages:
18.1 From pole mounted transformers:
18.1.1 Single Phase - 120/240 volts, 3 wire, maximum 400 amperes (100 kVA);
18.1.2 Three Phase - 120/208 volts, 4 wire, maximum 800 amperes transformation
capacity (300 kVA);
18.1.3 Three Phase - 347/600 volts, 4 wire, maximum 300 amperes transformation
capacity (300 kVA);
18.2 From pad mounted transformers:
18.2.1 Single Phase - 120/240 volts, 3 wire, maximum 150 kVA;
18.2.2 Three Phase - 120/208 volts, 4 wire, maximum 500 kVA transformation capacity;
18.2.3 Three Phase - 347/600 volts, 4 wire, maximum 500 kVA transformation capacity.
19. The Manager of Operations, at their discretion, may approve to supply loads or supply
voltages different from those listed in this Section (e.g. 277/480 volts), or alternatively may
supply a primary electrical Service.
20. Delta services are not permitted.
21. A person installing a Service shall ensure the proper balancing of phases and circuits, that
the City's equipment is not endangered, and that no abnormal voltage fluctuations are
anticipated.
22. All three-phase, four-wire facilities shall be designed to prevent the load on the phase with
the highest load from exceeding that on the phase with the lowest load by more than ten
(10) percent.
23. A person shall maintain a minimum ninety-five percent Power Factor in their Premises.
24. If the City measures a Power Factor lower than ninety-five percent, a person shall, within
30 days of a written request to do so from the City, install, at their expense, Power Factor
corrective equipment acceptable to the Manager of Operations.
25. A person shall not extend a secondary connection to more than one Premises.
Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
26. For overhead secondary service connections, the Point of Delivery is where the
Customer's circuit connects to the City's overhead system at the service mast (not
including the attachment point or structure). The Meter is the property of the City.
27. For an underground secondary service, the Point of Delivery is where the underground
circuit enters the property owned or occupied by the Customer.
28. A person shall, where required by the Manager of Operations, make provisions for the
installation of the City's facilities, including wiring and fittings and boxes, to the satisfaction
of the City.
29. The C/Yy does not supply transformation from one secondary voltage to another secondary
voltage.
30. A person shall ensure that:
30.1 electrical energy supplied by the City is not used for any purpose other than the
purpose identified in the application for Service;
30.2 nothing is done on that Premises, including without limitation an alteration of wiring,
that will or may appreciably change the amount or nature of the load imposed on the
Electrical System, without the prior written consent of the Manager of Operations;
30.3 single phase motors rated larger than five (5) horsepower are not used on 120/240-
volt circuits without the prior written consent of the Manager of Operations;
30.4 motors of 20 horsepower or larger are equipped with soft starters or other devices
approved in writing by the Manager of Operations, unless otherwise authorized in
writing by the Manager of Operations;
30.5 circuits are connected to balance the load amongst the phases as nearly as possible
the currents drawn from the circuits at the Point of Delivery.
Electricitv Generation
31. A person shall not install facilities capable of generating electricity, except as otherwise
permitted in this bylaw, unless those facilities are at all times electrically isolated from the
Electrical Utility.
32. Each residential photo-voltaic service shall have a bi-directional meter which is installed
by the City at the Owner's cost.
32.1 Energy in excess of the residence consumption will be purchased by the
Electrical Utility at the residential sales rate subject to:
32.1.1 Energy surplus will be accumulated in each billing cycle and applied first
to subsequent consumption.
32.1.2 The first 4,000 kWh of annual excess energy will be purchased at the
residential rate in effect at the year end. Any energy in excess of 4,000
kWh will be purchased at the prevailing avoided cost of energy purchase.
Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
32.1.3 Any surplus over $50.00 at year end will be paid to the customer.
32.1.4 Any surplus of $50.00 or less will be applied as an energy credit to the
account.
33. A person shall install a grid interconnection in accordance with the City's "Interconnection
Requirements for Residential Photo-Voltaic Power Producers Guidelines" document,
provided by the City and amended from time to time.
Electrical Meter
34. All Meters shall be installed by the City in a location approved by the Manager of
Operations.
35. Meters shall be installed in locations that permit safe and unfettered access by employees
or agents of the City.
36. The Customer shall ensure that the meter access remains safe and unfettered to the City.
Meter Location Specifications
37. Meters shall not be installed in carports, breezeways or on decks or other similar areas;
38. The Meter base and mast shall be:
38.1 surface mounted;
38.2 located on an outside wall;
38.3 within one meter of the corner of the property nearest to the point of supply;
38.4 installed between 1.5 meters and 2 meters above final ground level to the center of
the Meter,
38.5 located not more than 30 meters into the lot;
39. The Manager of Operations, at their sole discretion, may make exceptions to the general
specifications for meter installations, where a standard location will cause design and
installation difficulties, subject to the meter remaining accessible to the City at all times.
40. The Manager of Operations may require, at an Owners expense, that an Owner relocate
a meter that does not meet a provision of this bylaw, to a location specified by the Manager
of Operations.
41. For all electrical Services in excess of 200 amperes, a person shall supply and install an
enclosure for current and potential transformers, and the design of the enclosure shall first
be approved by the Manager of Operations. The Customer will be responsible for the cost
of the metering equipment which will be provided by the City.
Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
Maintenance
42. A Customer shall take reasonable care to protect all meters and related apparatus
belonging to the C/tyon their premises and shall reimburse the C/tyforany loss or damage
occurrence to same except to the extent that the Customer is able to show that loss or
damage was due to defects in such facilities or to omission or gross negligence on the
part of the City's employees.
43. A Customer shall keep all the trees, shrubs and other growths or other obstacles on the
Customers private property clear of power lines or electrical infrastructure.
Removal of Hazardous Things from Private Property
44. The City may, by notice, require a person to make safe at their expense a natural or
manufactured item that, in the City's sole opinion, endangers or presents a hazard to the
Electrical System.
45. If a person is required to make safe a natural or manufactured item on their property, they
shall do so in a timely manner.
46. A person shall receive authorization from the Manager of Operations, by filing a work plan
and receiving written approval, prior to undertaking works within 10 metres of the Electrical
System that may endanger or present a hazard to the Electrical System or the general
public.
47. The City may enter private property without notice and make safe a natural or
manufactured thing on private property that in its sole opinion endangers or presents an
immediate hazard to the Electrical System, and recover the costs from the Customer.
48. When exercising its rights under this bylaw, the City is not responsible, liable or otherwise
accountable, either directly or indirectly, for any costs, expenses, damages or injuries that
are suffered or incurred by a person which are a result of:
48.1 its entry upon, occupation of or exit from any premises;
48.2 its trespass on any premises or property;
48.3 a nuisance created by it;
48.4 an invasion of privacy committed by it;
48.5 its negligent actions or inactions.
Fees and Charges
49. The City shall charge the applicable fees in the Fees and Charges Bylaw for electrical
Service.
50. A Customer shall pay the applicable fees and charges in the Fees and Charges Bylaw for
electrical Service.
Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
51. The City may charge a fee to any property adjacent to a new service extension that can
be serviced regardless of the existence of an Electrical Service.
52. A Customer is responsible for all costs associated with extending the City's Electrical
System to service their property including, but not limited to, the cost of installing an
Electrical Service, and any upgrades to or extensions of other parts of the Electrical
System.
53. A Customer is responsible for all costs associated with meeting the standards of this
bylaw.
54. A Customer is responsible for all costs associated with disconnecting an Electrical
Service.
Offences and penalties
55. A person who contravenes this bylaw is subject to a fine as specified in the City's Municipal
Ticketing Information Bylaw as amended from time to time.
56. Each day that a contravention of this bylaw continues constitutes a separate offence.
57. The City may fulfill a requirement of this bylaw at the expense of a Customer failing to take
the required action and recover the costs incurred as a debt.
Temporary shutoff
58. The Manager of Operations may temporarily shut off an Electrical Service for any
reasonable cause including:
58.1 maintaining, repairing, replacing, or otherwise operating the Electrical System;
58.2 an emergency;
58.3 shortage of electrical supply.
59. A Customer may request from the Manager of Operations a temporary shutoff of their
Electrical Service for up to thirty days. The Customer shall pay any fees as specified in
the Fees and Charges Bylaw for this service.
60. The Manager of Operations may consider a temporary shutoff of an Electrical Service to
be a disconnection if a part of the Electrical Service is shut off for more than thirty days.
61. The City shall endeavour to provide 48 hours' notice for any non-emergency or scheduled
shutoff of the Electrical System.
62. The Manager of Operations may shut off the Electrical System with no notice in emergency
situations as determined by the Manager of Operations.
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Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
DLsconnection of service
63. The Manager of Operations may disconnect an Electrical Service if:
63.1 in the opinion of the Manager of Operations, the continued supply of electrical energy
would or might be harmful to the Electrical Utility, create an unreasonable demand
on that system, or create an abnormal or unacceptable fluctuation of the line voltages
of that system;
63.2 a property Owner requests a disconnection;
63.3 a Customer contravenes a provision of this bylaw;
63.4 by reason of a shortage of supply or otherwise, the City considers that it cannot
practically continue to supply electrical energy to that Premises.
63.5 an account remains unpaid for more than thirty (30) days after the due date
64. Where electrical supply is to be disconnected for reasons other than as specified in section
61.2, the City shall give thirty (30) days' notice to the Customer by posting notice on the
Premises, or by mailing notice to the address supplied by the Customer or the address of
the property.
65. A Customer may make representations to Council when an Electrical Service is to be
disconnected for reason of non-compliance with any provision of this bylaw.
66. Once an Electrical Service has been disconnected, the Manager of Operations shall
consider a reconnection the same as an application for a new Electrical Service
connection.
Inspection
67. The Manager of Operations, a Bylaw Enforcement Officer, or designated staff or
contractors may enter a Premises at a reasonable time to fulfill its obligations or for the
purpose of inspecting and ascertaining whether a person is observing the regulations and
requirements of this bylaw.
68. Except in the case of an emergency, the City shall take reasonable steps to advise the
Customer and/or Owner of an inspection.
69. The City may, from time to time, conduct tests of a Customer's Electrical Service.
General
70. Any enactment referred to herein is a reference to an enactment of British Columbia and
regulations thereto, as amended, revised, consolidated or replaced from time to time
71. If any portion of this bylaw is for any reason held to be invalid by a Court of competent
jurisdiction, the invalid portion shall be severed without affecting the remainder of the
bylaw.
Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
Repeal
72. The "City of Grand Forks Electrical Utility Regulatory Repeal Bylaw No. 2015-R" shall
repeal:
72.1 "City of Grand Forks Electrical Utility Regulatory Bylaw No. 2015",
72.2 "City of Grand Forks Electrical Utility Regulatory Amendment Bylaw No. 2015-A1",
and
72.3 "City of Grand Forks Electrical Utility Regulatory Amendment Bylaw No. 2015-A2"
Read a first, second, and third time by the Municipal Council this 10th day of February, 2020.
Finally Adopted this 6thjay of April, 2020.
€^-
Corporate Officer - Daniel Drexler
CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true and correct copy of Bylaw No. 2067, cited
as the "Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw No. 2067", as passed by the Municipal Council on the
day of_, 2020.
Corporate Officer of the Municipal Council of the
City of Grand Forks
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Electrical Utility Regulation Bylaw, No. 2067
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