Pennsylvania Code › Title 52 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Part I - Public Utility Commission › Subpart C - Fixed Service Utilities › Chapter 59 - GAS SERVICE › GENERAL PROVISIONS › Section 59.1 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter,
						have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
						otherwise:
Class A meter
-A diaphragm displacement
						meter having a rated capacity of not more than 500 cubic feet per hour at 1/2
						inch water column differential pressure and operating at a gauge pressure of
						not more than 15 pounds per square inch and not greater than the maximum
						pressure rating of the meter expressed in pounds per square inch.
Class B meter
-A diaphragm displacement
						meter having a rated capacity of more than 500 cubic feet but not more than
						1,500 cubic feet per hour at 1/2 inch water column differential pressure and
						operating at a gauge pressure of not more than 15 pounds per square inch and
						not greater than the maximum pressure rating of the meter expressed in pounds
						per square inch.
Class C meter
-A diaphragm displacement
						meter having a rate capacity of more than 1,500 cubic feet per hour at 1/2 inch
						water column differential pressure or a displacement meter operating on a gauge
						pressure of more than 15 pounds per square inch gauge, regardless of rated
						capacity.
Combined percentage of error
-The sum of
						the percentage of errors of a meter and its associated instrument or auxiliary
						device.
Cubic foot of gas
-According to purpose,
						as follows:
(i)
Testing.
For the purpose of testing gas, that amount of gas
					 which, if saturated with water vapor at a temperature of 60° F and
					 subjected to an absolute pressure equal to 30 inches of mercury at 32° F
					 (14.73 pounds per square inch), occupies a volume of one cubic foot.
(ii)
Measurement of low
					 pressure.
For the purpose of measurement of gas to a customer taking
					 gas at standard service pressure, that amount of gas which occupies a volume of
					 1 cubic foot at the time metered and under the conditions existing at the meter
					 of the customer; except that where a temperature compensating device is built
					 into the meter and the utility has received Commission approval for its use,
					 the term means that quantity of gas which, at the pressure existing at the
					 meter and the temperature corrected to 60° F, occupies one cubic
					 foot.
(iii)
Measurement of
					 high or medium pressure.
If gas is supplied to customers through
					 orifice or other type meters at pressures above standard service pressure, that
					 amount of gas which at an absolute pressure of 14.73 pounds per square inch
					 occupies a volume of 1 cubic foot at the temperature base contracted for or
					 established by the utility. Temperature correction, if made, shall be to
					 60° F.
Customer
-A party supplied with gas
						service by a public utility.
Customer meter
-A customer meter is the
						meter that measures the transfer of gas from an operator to a consumer.
Distribution line
-A pipeline other than
						a gathering or transmission line.
Fast meter
-A meter which upon test has
						an average error exceeding 2.0% fast.
Fast meter ratio
-The ratio which the
						number of fast meters found upon test in a given year bears to the total number
						of meters tested in that year. Meters permanently retired from service shall be
						excluded from both the numerator and denominator of this ratio.
First immediately preceding year
-The
						calendar year immediately preceding the testing year.
Gathering line
-A pipeline that
						transports gas from a current production facility to a transmission line or
						main.
High pressure
-The gas pressure,
						expressed in pounds per square inch gauge pressure (p.s.i.g.) in excess of 60
						pounds.
Low pressure
-Operating pressure,
						generally expressed in inches, which does not exceed 27.68 inches water column
						(one pound).
LNG-Liquefied natural gas
-A natural gas
						or synthetic gas having methane (CH4) as its major
						constituent which has been changed to a liquid or semisolid.
LNG facility
-A pipeline facility that is
						used for liquefying or solidifying natural gas or synthetic gas or
						transferring, storing or vaporizing liquefied natural gas.
Main
-A distribution line that serves as
						a common source of supply for more than one service line.
Medium pressure
-The gas pressure,
						expressed in pounds per square inch gauge pressure (p.s.i.g.) between one and
						60 pounds, and normally reduced by one regulator.
P.S.I.G.
-Pounds per square inch
						gauge.
Pipeline
-All parts of those physical
						facilities through which gas moves in transportation, including pipe, valves
						and other appurtenance attached to pipe, compressor units, metering stations,
						regulator stations, delivery stations, holders and fabricated
						assemblies.
Pressure designations
-"Low pressure,"
						"medium pressure," or "high pressure," as defined in this section.
Public utility
-Persons or corporations
						owning or operating in this Commonwealth equipment or facilities for producing,
						generating, transmitting, distributing, or furnishing gas for the production of
						light, heat, or power to or for the public for compensation. The term does not
						include a producer or manufacturer of gas not engaged in distributing the gas
						directly to the public for compensation.
Public utility service line
-The pipe and
						appurtenances of the public utility which connect any main with either the
						point of connection of a service line of the customer if the line is provided
						by the customer in accordance with the rules and regulations of the public
						utility, or the meter of the public utility if the utility owns all the pipe
						and appurtenances between its main and meter.
SMYS
-Specified minimum yield
						strength:
(i) For steel pipe
					 manufactured in accordance with a listed specification, the yield strength
					 specified as a minimum in that specification.
(ii) For steel pipe manufactured in
					 accordance with an unknown or unlisted specification, the yield strength
					 determined in accordance with
					 49 CFR
					 192.107(b) (relating to
					 yield strength).
Service line
-A distribution line that
						transports gas from a common source of supply to a customer meter or the
						connection to a customer's piping, whichever is further downstream, or the
						connection to a customer's piping if there is no customer meter.
Slow meter
-A meter which upon test has
						an average error exceeding 2.0% slow.
Slow meter ratio
-The ratio which the
						number of slow meters found upon test in a given year bears to the total number
						of meters tested in that year. Meters permanently retired from service shall be
						excluded from both the numerator and denominator of this ratio.
Standard service pressure
-The
						distribution pressure established by a public utility under the provisions of
						§
											59.29 (relating to gas pressure
						requirements for low-pressure distribution systems).
Testing year
-The calendar year for which
						a public utility seeks to apply an extended test schedule.
Test period
-The maximum permitted time
						between the installation of a previously tested meter and the next test or
						between an in-place test and the next test.
Third immediately preceding year
-The
						calendar year immediately preceding the second immediately preceding
						year.
Transmission line
-A pipeline, other than
						a gathering line that does one of the following:
(i) Transports gas from a gathering line or
					 storage facility to a distribution center or storage facility.
(ii) Operates at a hoop stress of 20% or more
					 of SMYS
(iii) Transports gas within
					 a storage field.
The provisions of this §
													59.1 issued and amended under
						  Public Utility Code,
						  66 Pa.C.S. §
														§
														501,
						  1301,
						  1304,
						  1501,
						  1502,
						  1504,
						  1507 and
						  1508.