New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 17 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND UTILITY SERVICES › Chapter 10 - GAS SERVICES › Part 650 - SERVICE STANDARDS FOR GAS UTILITIES › Section 17.10.650.13 - INSPECTIONS AND TESTS

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
A.
Utility inspections and tests:
Each utility shall make inspections
				and tests of meters and associated metering devices as follows:
(1) Pre-installation inspections and tests:
				Every meter and associated metering device shall be inspected and tested in the
				utility's meter shop before being placed in service, and the accuracy of each
				meter shall be within the tolerances permitted by Subsection B of 17.10.650.13
				NMAC.
(2) As-found tests: All
				meters and associated metering devices shall be tested before they are adjusted
				or repaired, after they are removed from service, except when transferred from
				one service location to another without testing, as permitted by Subsection D
				of
				17.10.650.10
				NMAC. Excepted are those meters which are damaged beyond testing. Such tests
				shall be made before the meters and associate metering devices are adjusted,
				repaired, or retired. It will not be mandatory to test meters scheduled for
				retirement unless there is cause to suspect the accuracy of the
				meter.
(3) Leak tests: Repaired
				meters and meters that have been removed from service shall be leak tested
				prior to installation except when a meter is moved from one location to another
				without testing in cases permitted by Subsection D of
				17.10.650.10
				NMAC, unless the utility has reasonable grounds for believing that some
				particular meter may be leaking. New meters shall be leak tested, but testing
				may be conducted in accordance with a sampling method acceptable to the
				commission. Each meter tested shall be subjected to an internal pressure of at
				least 20" W.C. and checked for the presence of leaks by one of the following
				tests:
(a) immersion test;
(b) soap test; or
(c) pressure drop test of a type acceptable
				to the commission.
(4)
				Request tests: Upon request by a customer the utility shall test the meter
				serving them. If the meter has been tested within the last 18 months or within
				a shorter applicable periodic testing interval specified in Paragraph (5) of
				Subsection A of 17.10.650.13 NMAC, the utility may charge the customer the
				applicable amount provided for in its filed rules, such charge to be refunded
				to the customer whenever the meter proves to be in excess of two percent in
				error.
(a) The customer shall be advised that
				the customer or their representative may be present when the meter is
				tested.
(b) A complete record of
				each test shall be kept on file by the utility.
(5) Periodic tests: Unless otherwise
				authorized by the commission each utility shall make periodic tests of meters,
				associated devices, and instruments to assure their accuracy. Such tests shall
				be scheduled within the calendar year or earlier when the interval is stated in
				years; or within the calendar month or earlier when the interval is stated in
				months. The basic periodic test interval shall not be longer than provided for
				in the following schedule. (Note: maintenance programs suggested by
				manufacturers of the following meters and devices should be followed
				carefully.)
(a) Positive displacement meters.
(i) Up to 250 CF/hr. 10 yrs.
(ii) 250 to 1500 CF/hr. seven yrs.
(iii) 1500 to 3000 CF/hr. five yrs.
(iv) 3000 to 5000 CF/hr. two yrs.
(v) Over 5000 CF/hr. one yr.
(b) Orifice meters six
				mos.
(c) Base pressure correcting
				devices 24 mos.
(d) Base volume
				correcting devices 24 mos.
(e)
				Secondary standards.
(i) Test bottle, one
				cubic ft. 10 yrs.
(ii) Dead weight
				testers 10 yrs.
(f)
				Working standards.
(i) Bell provers three
				yrs.
(ii) Rotary displacement test
				meters five yrs.
(iii) Flow provers
				five yrs.
(iv) Laboratory quality
				indicating pressure gauges six mos.
(6) The basic periodic test interval for
				positive displacement meters may be extended under the following circumstances:
(a) The utility must submit a written
				application requesting such extension.
(b) Such application must show the results of
				testing meters at the periodic test intervals for several years, and the test
				results must show that the meters are maintaining a high degree of
				accuracy.
(c) The extended interval
				for meter tests shall be determined by the commission, and the utility shall
				report annually, or as may be required, the accuracy status of such meters
				during the extended interval.
(d)
				Any authorized extension of the basic periodic test interval is subject to
				cancellation at any time; upon such cancellation the test interval shall be
				determined by the commission, but such interval shall not be less than the
				requirements of Paragraph (5) of this subsection.