New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 16 - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE › Chapter III - GAS UTILITIES › Subchapter A - Service › Part 226 - Gas Meters And Accessories-testing And Reporting › Section 226.8 - Domestic meters-in-test programs

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a)
Domestic
				  meter in-test program.
After installation, all domestic meters shall receive an
					 in-test at least once every seven years, except as otherwise provided in
					 subdivisions (b) and (c) of this section. In-tests of meters shall be made at
					 ambient temperature conditions at the same open and check test flow rates as
					 used for out-tests specified in section
					 226.6(a)  of this
					 Part. Where possible, all in-tests shall be performed within 60 working days
					 after removal from customers' premises.
(b)
Alternate domestic meter in-test
				  program.
(1) Initial notification. In
				  lieu of the schedule of testing set forth in subdivision (a) of this section,
				  any utility may apply to department staff for approval to adopt the alternate
				  domestic meter in-test program described in this subdivision. The initial
				  application for approval and any subsequent revisions shall include full
				  formulation of said program complying with paragraphs (2) through (9) of this
				  subdivision.
(2) Categories and
				  test groups. All meters in use shall be segregated into categories based on
				  delivered volume and grouped into test groups based upon performance.
(i) All meters shall be first grouped into
				  category A. Any utility having more than 100,000 domestic meters in service may
				  further separate those meters servicing minimum bill customers into category B
				  and those registering 360 CCF or less in the preceding calendar year into
				  category C. A minimum bill customer shall be any customer whose average monthly
				  consumption registered on the meter during the preceding calendar year did not
				  exceed the minimum consumption indicated in the initial block of the utility's
				  rate schedule for residential customers.
(ii) The meters in each category shall be
				  grouped into test groups as follows:
Test group
Calculated annual test rate
								(%)
0
2.00
1
4.00-4.99
2
5.00-5.99
3
6.00-7.99
4
8.00 and above
5
Approved retirement program
Test group five shall be composed of all meters included in
					 an approved retirement program. In the event that a utility has more than one
					 retirement program in progress each program will be clearly identified and
					 reported on separate forms. The total number of meters required for test within
					 test groups one, two, three and five in any category shall be determined on the
					 basis of the combined calculated test rate of all meter types within the group.
					 Each type of meter within test group four shall be tested at its calculated
					 test rate in accordance with table 1 of Appendix 7-A of this Title,
infra
.
(iii) Meter types within each test group
				  shall be identifiable by manufacturer and size. In addition, each participating
				  utility shall maintain test data segregated by manufacturer, case, size, and
				  age group to assist in the analysis of meter performance.
(3) Meters in use shall be segregated into
				  age groups in one-year increments as follows: "Age Group 1" will include meters
				  last tested within 0 - 12 months, "Age Group 2" will include meters last tested
				  within 13 - 24 months, etc.
(4)
				  Minimum overall test rate. Except as provided in paragraph (6) of this
				  subdivision, the required annual test rate will be used to determine the
				  minimum number of meters to be tested from each test group for each approved
				  utility in an ensuing calendar year and shall be based upon meter performance
				  at the check rate during the preceding calendar year. For example, the
				  performance of meters at each approved utility in calendar year 1993 will
				  determine the test rate for each meter test group and the number of meters
				  required to be tested at the utility in calendar year 1995.
(i) Category A. Each approved utility shall
				  test its domestic meters as follows:
(a)
				  Except as provided for in subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph, the required
				  annual rate of test for each meter type shall not be less than four percent.
				  The annual rate of test shall be determined by using a base of 4.0 percent of
				  such meters in service where 100 percent of the meters are within ±2.0
				  percent of 100 percent proof. For each one percent of the meters found over 2.0
				  percent slow, the test rate shall increase 0.133 percent. For each one percent
				  of the meters found over 2.0 percent fast, the test rate shall increase 0.267
				  percent.
(b) The required annual
				  rate of test for a meter type in an ensuing year shall be based on the
				  preceding year's check rate performance of those meters last tested eight or
				  more years prior. For those meter types in category A where the utility submits
				  data indicating that more than 50 percent of the in-service meters were last
				  tested within the previous eight years, the required annual rate of test for a
				  meter type in the ensuing calendar year shall be based on the performance of
				  meters in all age groups tested in the preceding calendar year.
(c) Where the calculated test rate is between
				  8 and 14 percent, the test rate shall be determined from table 1 of Appendix
				  7-A of this Title,
infra
.
(d) Where the calculated test rate exceeds 14
				  percent in table 1 of Appendix 7-A of this Title,
infra
, the
				  following test rate shall apply: test rate = 2x+y36, where x = percentage of
				  meters fast and y = percentage of meters slow.
(ii) Category B. Each approved utility may
				  include meters servicing minimum bill customers separately in category B and
				  test them as follows:
(a) The minimum number
				  of category B meters to be tested on an annual basis shall be two percent of
				  the utility's total number of minimum bill meters in service. In addition, on
				  an annual basis, two percent of the total number of such meters in service
				  shall be inspected for physical integrity and labeled on the customer's
				  premises by qualified personnel. The meters inspected and labeled shall be
				  those in service 10 or more years, the majority to be selected from those
				  longest in service. In lieu of the number required for inspection, an equal
				  number in service 10 or more years may be tested.
(b) The utility shall submit an annual
				  summary report of those meters removed for fault and found to be faulty. Each
				  reason for removal shall be segregated and reported separately, and will
				  include the following: leak, does not pass gas, does not register, and meters
				  found on inspection to be unserviceable.
(iii) Category C. With the exclusion of those
				  meters qualifying for the option provided in category B, each approved utility
				  may include meters registering 360 CCF or less in the preceding calendar year
				  separately in category C and test them as follows:
(a) Except as provided for in subparagraph
				  (iv) of this paragraph, the annual rate of test for each meter type in an
				  ensuing year shall be determined by using a base of 3.5 percent of the
				  qualifying meters in service where 100 percent of the meters in the preceding
				  year are within ± 2.0 percent of 100 percent proof. For each one percent
				  of the meters found over 2.0 percent slow, the test rate shall increase 0.067
				  percent. For each one percent of the meters found over 2.0 percent fast, the
				  test rate shall increase 0.133 percent.
(b) Where the calculated annual test rate is
				  between 5.5 and 8.5 percent, the test rate shall be determined from table 2 of
				  Appendix 7-A of this Title,
infra
.
(c) Where the calculated annual test rate
				  exceeds 8.5 percent in table 2 of Appendix 7-A of this Title,
infra
, the following test rate shall apply: test rate =
				  2x+y41.5, where x = percentage of meters fast and y = percentage of meters
				  slow.
(iv) For meter
				  types where 98 percent upon in-test are found to be within ± 1.5 percent
				  of 100 percent proof in a preceding year, the test rate for the ensuing year
				  shall be 2.0 percent of those type meters in service.
(5) The meters tested shall be from all age
				  groups, the majority to be selected from those longest in service.
(6) The required meter tests for categories A
				  and B shall include a minimum of one percent or 100 meters, whichever is less,
				  for each age group in service. In addition, a sufficient number of meters shall
				  be selected from the oldest age groups to comply with paragraph (4) of this
				  subdivision.
(7) Meters removed
				  from service for reasons other than the requirements set forth in paragraphs
				  (4) and (6) of this subdivision may be included for compliance therewith,
				  provided that:
(i) the number of meters
				  removed for fault or found faulty that may be credited against the test
				  requirements for any meter type shall not exceed the number of the meters
				  tested and found to be in sound condition; and
(ii) meters that are removed and found to be
				  inoperative or leaking shall be reported as such.
(8) Upon submission of a program satisfactory
				  to the department staff, as described in subdivision (c) of this section, any
				  utility may retire, or accelerate the repair of, any group of meters
				  identifiable by make, type, or any other factor which affects performance. The
				  number of meters that are removed in excess of the number that is required may
				  be credited to those meters with a history of superior test rates. The number
				  credited to each test group shall be limited to quantities which will assure a
				  two-percent sample of the superior performing meters.
(9) Any utility that does not meet its annual
				  test requirements, in any test group, shall schedule such deficits in the
				  following year's test requirements. Where a utility has exceeded its test
				  requirements in any test group, such meters may be credited toward any deficits
				  in the current year requirements, providing that the credits are applied to
				  those meters with a history of superior test rates. A maximum of two percent or
				  200 meters, whichever is less, in any test group, may be credited towards the
				  following year's test requirements.