Code of Maine Rules › 65 - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION › 407 - PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION › Chapter 395 - CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS, OWNERSHIP. COST ALLOCATION, AND CUSTOMER CHARGES RULES FOR ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION LINE EXTENSIONS AND SERVICE DROPS › Section 407-395-8 - Energizing an Electric Line Extension

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A.
Certification
. A T&D utility shall not energize a
				privately-constructed line extension until after the determination required by
				section
				4 has been provided. Notwithstanding
				the determination required by section
				4, the T&D utility shall inspect
				the line. If it determines that energization of the line extension would
				jeopardize the safety of any person, or would jeopardize the reliability of the
				utility's distribution system, it shall not energize the line. If it determines
				that the line extension does not comply with the standards required by this
				Chapter or may not provide reliable service to the customers who will be served
				by the line extension, it may refuse to energize the line. If the private line
				extension contractor or the owner disagrees with the utility's decision and
				refuses to make any of the modifications requested by the utility, the T&D
				utility shall initiate a dispute resolution process pursuant to section
				5. When a determination has been made
				that all the requirements for energization contained in section
				4 and this section have been
				satisfied, the T&D utility shall energize the privately-constructed line
				extension within 14 business days of that determination or on a later date
				established by mutual agreement of the parties. In a period of widespread power
				outages caused by weather or other emergency conditions, the T&D utility
				may extend by a reasonable number of days the 14-day period required by this
				subsection.
B.
Pending
				Dispute Resolution
. Pending the resolution of a dispute resolution
				process initiated under subsection A, the T&D utility shall not energize
				the line extension unless ordered to do so by the Commission.
C.
Privately-Owned Line Extensions When
				Ownership is Transferred
. Before energizing a new privately-constructed
				line extension that must be transferred to the T&D utility as required by
				section
				7(A), or an
				unenergized line extension that may be transferred as permitted by section
				7(B), a T&D
				utility shall determine that all the ownership transfer and payment
				requirements of sections
				7(A), (B) and (E) are
				satisfied.
D.
Privately-Owned
				Line Extensions Serving Single Customers
. Before energizing a new
				privately-constructed line extension that will serve a single customer, as
				permitted by section
				6(B), a T&D
				utility shall obtain the written contract required by section
				6(B)(5) from the
				owner of the line extension and shall obtain any payments described in section
				7(E)(2), (3), (4), (5) and
				(6).
E.
Privately-Owned Line Extensions;
				Additional Customer
. When the owner of a line on private property that
				serves only one customer is required by section
				7(C) to transfer
				ownership of all portions of the line extension that will serve more than one
				customer, the utility shall not energize any new facilities, including service
				drops, that will provide service to the new customers who will receive service
				from the transferred line, either directly or through a new line extension
				connected to the original line extension, until it has obtained ownership of
				the required portions of the line, and the new customer(s) have made all
				payments required by section
				7(F) and section
				9.