Rules and Regulations for Electric Service

1. Application for Service. Each prospective customer desiring electric service will be required to sign the Cooperative's standard membership application for service, application for electric service, and/or contract as applicable before service is supplied by Cooperative. In addition, the Cooperative's stan­dard membership fee shall be paid by customer if customer is not an active member of the Cooperative. The Cooperative may require a contract and/or a contribution in aid of con­struction before rendering service to any non-routine or non­standard service request.
2. Deposit. A deposit or suitable guarantee of payment may be required of any customer before electric service is supplied. The Cooperative may, at its option, return deposit to customer after two years. Upon termination of service, deposit may be applied by Cooperative against unpaid bills of customer, and if any unpaid balance remains after such application is made, said unpaid balance shall be paid the Cooperative by the cus­tomer. If the final bill is less than the customer deposit amount, the balance shall be refunded to the customer by the Cooperative.
3. Point of Delivery. The point of delivery is the single location on or near customer's premises designated by Cooperative where one available standard voltage as determined by Cooperative is provided. Each point of delivery will be separately metered and billed. All wiring and equipment beyond this point of delivery shall be provided and maintained by customer at no expense to Cooperative.
4. Customer's Wiring Standards. All wiring of customer must conform to Cooperative's requirements and accepted standards, as exemplified by the requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code and the National Electrical Code. In addition, any local municipal or county electrical ordinances must be com­plied with. When a local government entity notifies Coopera­tive that the customer's electrical service and/or wiring is in violation of the above mentioned codes and legally notifies the Cooperative to discontinue electrical service, the Coopera­tive will comply with these instructions. Service will be restored when the Cooperative is notified by proper authorities that it is safe to reconnect electrical service to such a location.
5. Inspections. The Cooperative has no responsibility to inspect the customer's wiring for compliance with National Electrical Safety Code, National Electrical Code, or local ordinances. However, the Cooperative has the right to make inspections. When obvious violations of such codes exist to the extent that the safety of the customer, his property, or the general public is threatened, service may be refused until proper correction of condition is made by customer.
6. Underground Service. Customers desiring underground service lines from Cooperative's overhead system may be required to bear the excess cost incident thereto. Specifications and terms for such construction will be furnished by Cooperative on re­quest.
7. Customer Responsibility for Cooperative's Property. All meters, service connections, and other equipment furnished by Cooperative shall be, and remain, the property of Cooperative. Customer shall provide a space for and exercise proper care to protect the property of Cooperative on its premises, and, in the event of loss or damage to Cooperative's property arising from neglect of customer to care for same, the cost of the necessary repairs or replacements shall be paid by customer.
8. Right of Access. Cooperative's identified employees or desig­nated representatives shall have access to customer's premises at all reasonable times for the purpose of reading meters, testing, repair, removing, or exchanging any or all equipment be­longing to Cooperative.
9. Billing. Bills will be rendered monthly and shall be paid by date specified on bill at Cooperative designated locations. Failure to receive bill will not release customer from payment obligations. Should bills not be paid as above, Cooperative may at any time thereafter discontinue service. Net bills are due as indicated by due date shown on bill. Gross rates apply if current monthly bill is not paid by due date shown on bill. Gross rates shall be in accordance with applicable rate sched­ule provisions. Should the final date for payment of the bill at the net rates fall on a Sunday or holiday, the business day next following the final date will be held as a day of grace for deli­very of payment. Net rate remittances received by mail after the time limit for payment of said net rates will be accepted by Cooperative if the incoming envelope bears United States Post Office date stamp of the final date for payment of the net amount or any date prior thereto.
10. Discontinuance of Service by Cooperative. Cooperative may refuse to connect or may discontinue service for the violation of any of its Rules and Regulations, or for violation of any of the provisions of the Schedule of Charges and Fees, or for vio­lation of the application of service contract with customer. Co­operative may discontinue service to customer for the theft of current or the appearance of current theft devices on the premises of customer. The discontinuance of service by Cooperative for any causes as stated in this rule does not release customer from his obligation to Cooperative for payment of all amounts or minimum bills as specified in the membership application or contract with customer.
11. Reconnection Charge for Disconnection for Non Payment. Whenever service has been discontinued by Cooperative for non-payment, a charge shall be applied in accordance with the Schedule of Charges and Fees of the Cooperative to restore service. When service has been disconnected for non-payment, the Cooperative may require an additional deposit and require payment arrangements satisfactory to the Cooperative of all amounts due by the customer.
12. Termination of Contract by Customer. Customers who have fulfilled their contract terms may discontinue service as provided for in the terms and conditions of their contract. Notice to discontinue service prior to expiration of contract terms will not relieve customer from any minimum or guaranteed payment under any contract or rate.
13. Service Charges for Temporary Service. Customers requiring electric service on a temporary basis may be required by Cooperative to pay all costs for connection and disconnection incidental to the supplying and removing of such service. This rule applies to circuses, carnivals, fairs, concerts, and other temporary service requirements.
14. Interruption of Service. Cooperative will use reasonable diligence in supplying current, but shall not be liable for breach of contract in the event of, or for loss, injury, or damage to persons or property resulting from interruptions in service, excessive or inadequate voltage, single-phasing, acts of God, or otherwise unsatisfactory service, whether or not caused by negligence.
15. Shortage of Electricity. In the event of an emergency or other condition causing a shortage in the amount of electricity necessary for Cooperative to meet the demand on its system, Cooperative may, by an allocation method deemed equitable by Cooperative, fix the amount of electricity to be made available for use by customer and/or may otherwise restrict the time during which customer may make use of electricity and the uses which customer may make of electricity. If such actions become necessary, customer may request a variance because of unusual circumstances including matters adversely affecting the public health, safety and welfare. If customer fails to comply with such allocation or restriction, Cooperative may take such actions as it deems appropriate under the circumstances including temporarily disconnecting electric service. The provisions of the section entitled Interruption of Service of this schedule of Rules and Regulations for Electric Service are applicable to any such allocation or restriction.
16. Voltage Fluctuations Caused by Customer. Electric service must not be used in such a manner as to cause unusual fluctuations or disturbances to Cooperative's system. Cooperative may require customer, at his own expense, to install suitable apparatus which will reasonably limit such fluctuations.
17. Additional Load. The service connection, transformers, meters, and equipment supplied by Cooperative for each customer have definite capacity, and no addition to the equipment or load connected thereto will be allowed except by consent of Cooperative. Failure to give notice of additions or changes in load, and to obtain Cooperative's consent for same, shall render customer liable for any damage to any of Cooperative's lines or equipment caused by the additional or changed installation.
18. Standby and Resale Service. All purchased electric service (other than emergency or standby service) used on the premises of customer shall be supplied exclusively by Cooperative, and customer shall not, directly or indirectly, sell, sublet, assign, or otherwise dispose of the electric service or any part thereof. Where standby or emergency equipment is installed by the customer, such installation shall be in accordance with the National Electrical Safety Code, National Electrical Code, and properly isolated from the Cooperative's electric system.
19. Notice of Trouble. Customer shall notify Cooperative immediately should service be unsatisfactory for any reason, or should there be any defects, trouble, or accidents affecting the supply of electricity. All outages will be repaired by the Cooperative as quickly as possible. When the Cooperative responds to a trouble call placed by the customer and the trouble is not with Cooperative supplied equipment, but is caused by a failure of the customer's equipment, a service call charge will be billed to customer as established in Cooperative's Schedule of Charges and Fees. Cooperative employees are not allowed to make repairs to customer owned facilities or equipment. Security lights are repaired by Cooperative during normal Cooperative business hours. Customers requesting security light repair service during other than normal Cooperative business hours shall be charged a service charge as established in Cooperative's Schedule of Charges and Fees.
20. Special Installation. Customer shall pay the cost of any special installation necessary to meet his peculiar requirements for service at other than standard voltages, for the supply of closer voltage regulation than required by standard Cooperative practice, or any other special installation deemed non-standard by the Cooperative. Such installations shall require prior approval by the Cooperative.
21. Meter Tests. Cooperative will, at its own expense, make periodical tests and inspections of its meters in order to maintain a high standard of accuracy. Cooperative will make additional tests or inspections of its meters at the request of customer. If tests made at customer's request show that the meter is accurate within two percent (2%), slow or fast, no adjustment will be made in customer's bill, and the testing charge as specified in the Schedule of Charges and Fees will be paid by customer. In case the test shows meter to be in excess of two percent (2%), slow or fast, an adjustment shall be made in customer's bill over a period of not to exceed ninety (90) days prior to date of such test, and cost of making test shall be borne by Cooperative. Cooperative may elect to test meters at its expense as deemed necessary.
22. Relocation of Outdoor Lighting Facilities. Cooperative may, at the request of customer, relocate or change existing Cooperative owned outdoor lighting equipment. Customer shall reimburse Cooperative for such changes at actual cost including appropriate overheads.
23. Normal Connection, Reconnection, and Transfer Fees. Each time an account is connected, reconnected, or transferred from one person to another, the Cooperative may charge a fee as established in the Schedule of Charges and Fees.
24. Collection Charges. Each time the Cooperative makes an actual trip to collect a delinquent bill (or collect on a check not paid and returned by the customer's bank), the Cooperative may charge a fee as established in the Schedule of Charges and Fees.
25. Special Meter Reading. Each customer of the Cooperative must read his own meter monthly and report the correct reading in the space provided on the monthly bill for electric service (except customers on GSD and GSLD rates). When a member fails to read his meter for two consecutive months, the Cooperative will read the meter and the customer will be billed a meter reading charge as established in the Schedule of Charges and Fees.
26. Cooperative Provided Meter Poles and Meter Sockets. Customers may purchase meter poles from the Cooperative or the Cooperative will provide, install, or relocate meter poles for the customer. In addition, the customer may purchase standard meter sockets from the Cooperative when available. The charges for the above services shall be as established in the Schedule of Charges and Fees.
27. Special Short Term Service. When a customer desires power at an existing service location for the purpose of cleaning, repair, etc., the service may be connected and charges will be as established in the Schedule of Charges and Fees. Membership requirements and deposits may not apply to this type service as determined by the Cooperative.
28. Rate Application. As a part of the service application and contract process, a customer's service is initially established under the rate schedule determined to be appropriate by the Cooperative. If the customer's service (as determined by the cutomer's usage of service) changes to the extent that the established rate schedule is no longer applicable, the customer is subject to rate schedule reclassification. In such instances, the Cooperative will advise the customer through written notice that the customer is being reclassified. The effective date of the reclassification shall be no earlier than the customer's next scheduled billing date. If the measured demand of a customer served under the non-demand (GS) rate schedule exceeds 49 KW for three (3) months out of the twelve (12) consecutive months ending with the then-current billing period, that customer will be reclassified to the demand (GSD) rate schedule. If the measured demand of a customer served under GSD rate schedule does not exceed 49 KW for three (3) or more months out of the twelve (12) consecutive months ending with the then-current billing period, that customer will be reclassified to the GS rate schedule. If a GSD customer elects to be served under the optional large demand (GSLD) rate schedule,he customer must apply for such reclassification by a written request to the Cooperative. If a customer exercises the option to be served under the GSLD rate schbdule, the customer will be required to take service under the rate schedule for a minimum of twelve (12) consecutive months beginning with the first billing period following application.
29. Seasonal Service. Seasonal service is only applicable to three phase loads. Where customers require service for irrigation pumps or other uses which are seasonal, an annual minimum charge will be billed in advance. If this charge is more than twelve (12) times the monthly Facilities Charge, such excess will be applied to any energy charges incurred. All additional energy charges will be billed on a monthly basis.
30. Scope. This schedule of Rules and Regulations for Electric Service is a part of all contracts for receiving electric service from the Cooperative, and applies to all service received from Cooperative, whether the service is based upon contract, agreement, signed application, or otherwise. A copy of these Rules and Regulations for Electric Service, together with a copy of the Cooperative's Schedule of Charges and Fees, shall be kept open for inspection at the offices of the Cooperative.
31. Reserved.