Ohio Administrative Code › Title 4901:1 - Utilities › Chapter 4901:1-10 - Electric Companies › Section 4901:1-10-05 - Metering

Current through all regulations passed and filed through July 1,
			 2024
(A) Electric energy
			 delivered to the customer shall be metered, except where it is impractical to
			 meter the electric usage, such as in street lighting and temporary or special
			 installations. The usage in such exceptions may be calculated or billed on a
			 demand or connected load rate as provided in an approved tariff on file with
			 the commission.
(B) A customer's
			 electric usage shall be metered by commercially acceptable measuring devices
			 that comply with "American National Standards Institute" (ANSI) standards.
			 Meter accuracy shall comply with the 2014 version of ANSI C12.1 standards.
(C) Electric
			 utility employees or authorized agents of the electric utility shall have the
			 right of access to the electric utility's metering equipment for the purpose of
			 reading, replacing, repairing, or testing the meter, or determining that the
			 installation of the metering equipment is in compliance with the electric
			 utility's requirements, or other such purposes necessary to permit the electric
			 utility to carry out its authorized functions.
(D) Meters that are not direct reading
			 meters, such as meters with a multiplier not equal to 1.0, shall have the
			 multiplier plainly marked on or adjacent to the meter. All charts taken from
			 recording meters shall be marked with the date of the record, the meter number,
			 the customer name, and the chart multiplier. The register ratio shall be marked
			 on all meter registers. The watt-hour constant for the meter shall be placed on
			 all watt-hour meters.
(E) The
			 electric utility's meters shall be installed and removed by the electric
			 utility's personnel or authorized agent. Before initial service to a service
			 location is energized, the electric utility shall verify that the installation
			 of the meter base and associated equipment has been both inspected and approved
			 by the local inspection authority or, in any area where there is no local
			 inspection authority, has been inspected by a licensed electrician.
(F) Metering accuracy shall be the
			 responsibility of the electric utility.
(1)
			 Upon request by a customer, the electric utility shall test its meter to verify
			 its compliance with the ANSI C12.1 standards within thirty business days after
			 the date of the request.
(2) The
			 customer or the customer's representative may be present when the meter test is
			 performed at the customer's request.
(3) A written explanation of the test results
			 shall be provided to the customer within ten business days of the completed
			 test.
(4) If the accuracy of the
			 meter is found to be within the tolerances specified in this rule:
(a) The first test at the customer's request
			 shall be free of charge.
(b) The
			 electric utility may charge the customer an approved tariffed fee for each
			 succeeding test conducted less than thirty-six months after the last test
			 requested by the customer on the same meter. Each electric utility shall notify
			 the customer of such charge prior to the test.
(5) If the accuracy of the meter is found to
			 be outside the tolerances specified in this rule and
			 such inaccuracy is not caused by tampering or unauthorized reconnection,
			 the electric utility:
(a) Shall not charge a
			 fee or recover any testing expenses from the customer.
(b) Shall recalibrate the meter or provide a
			 properly functioning meter that complies with the ANSI C12.1 standards without
			 charge to the customer.
(c) Shall,
			 within thirty days, pay or credit any overpayment to the customer, in
			 accordance with one of the following billing adjustments:
(i) When the electric utility or customer has
			 established the period of meter inaccuracy, the overcharge shall be computed on
			 the basis of metered usage prior and/or subsequent to such period, consistent
			 with the rates in effect during that period.
(ii) When the electric utility and customer
			 cannot establish the period of meter inaccuracy, the overcharge period shall be
			 determined to be: the period since the customer's "on" date or the period since
			 the date of most recent meter test performed, whichever is shorter. The
			 applicable rates shall be those in effect during the period of inaccuracy in
			 order to determine the appropriate credit or refund.
(d) Any undercharge
			 shall be billed in accordance with rule
			 4901:1-10-23 of the
			 Administrative Code.