CHAPTER En 300  RULES FOR ELECTRIC SERVICE

 

REVISION NOTE:

 

        Document #14101, effective 10-22-24, adopted Chapter En 300 titled “Rules for Electric Service.”  Document #14101 was adopted pursuant to RSA 12-P:5, IV RSA 362:2, II, RSA 365:6, RSA 370:1-9, RSA 374:1, 4, 5, 15, 39 and 49 and RSA 374-F:23, I to the extent the provisions apply under the authority of the Department of Energy. 

 

        Pursuant to 2021, 91:187, effective 7-1-21, the Department of Energy (Department) was established by the adoption of RSA 12-P.  Pursuant to RSA 12-P:11, “All of the functions, powers, duties, records, personnel, and property of the public utilities commission incorporated in the statutes establishing the department of energy and which replace the authority of the commission with the authority of the department of energy, are hereby transferred, as of July 1, 2021, to the department of energy.”

 

        Pursuant to RSA 12-P:14, “Existing rules, orders, and approvals of the public utilities commission which are associated with any functions, powers, and duties, transferred to the department of energy pursuant to RSA 12-P:11 or any other statutory provision, shall continue in effect and be enforced by the commissioner of the department of energy until they expire or are repealed or amended in accordance with applicable law.”

 

        Chapter En 300 applies to electric service in the state by adopting various rules in the former Chapter Puc 300 of the Public Utilities Commission (Commission) regarding meter reading and meter accuracy and testing, service quality including voltage variation and interruption of service, notice to the Department of accidents and outages, and the requirement that utilities submit periodic reports for Department review.  The Department adopted the existing sections of the Puc 300 rules where the Department’s statutory authority existed.  In some places of the En 300, the Department clarified language which was retained from the existing Puc 300 rules.  The Department has amended the text of the former Puc 300 rules pertaining to master metering as set forth in En 303.01 to specify the exceptions to individual metering and the circumstances where a utility would be permitted to install or provide electric service to a master meter. The Department has updated existing Commission forms where those forms are now considered to be Department forms as referenced in En 308 and other sections of Chapter En 300.  The Department has updated the references to publications in Appendix B and throughout Chapter En 300.

 

        The Commission subsequently readopted with amendments Chapter Puc 300 titled “Rules for Electric Service” in Document #14106, effective 10-25-24. Amendments included, but were not limited to, the deletion of existing provisions in Chapter Puc 300 which Document #14101 had adopted in Chapter En 300. See the Revision Note at the chapter heading for Chapter Puc 300 for the filings affecting the former Chapter Puc 300.

 

PART En 301  APPLICATION OF RULES

 

          En 301.01  Application of Rules.

 

          (a)  This chapter shall apply to any utility as defined by En 302.23 except as provided in (b) below.

 

          (b)  This chapter, except for En 307.01, shall not apply to any rural electric cooperative for which a certificate of deregulation is on file pursuant to RSA 301:57.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

PART En 302  DEFINITIONS

 

          En 302.01  “Commission” means the New Hampshire public utilities commission.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.02  “Creep” means a condition where the rotor of a mechanical meter rotates continuously when rated voltage is applied and the load terminals are open circuited.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.03  “Customer” means any person, firm, corporation, cooperative marketing association, utility, governmental unit, or subdivision of a municipality or of the state or nation, supplied with electric service by any utility.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.04  “Demand” means the average power measured over a specified interval of time.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En. 302.05  “Department” means the New Hampshire department of energy.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.06  “Electronic indicating demand device” means an indicating device that determines demand values based on electronic pulse inputs from an auxiliary device to a solid state circuit designed to calculate and display demand quantities in conjunction with a timing signal derived from the line frequency or a crystal oscillator timing circuit.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.07  “Electronic meter” means a meter that has measurement circuitry built primarily of solid state electrical components.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.08  “Electric service” means the delivery of electricity to a customer in this state by a utility.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.09  “Energy conservation” means energy use activities that cost less to implement than the value of the resources saved.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.10  “Full load” means the meter accuracy test point at rated test voltage, rated test current, and 1.0 power factor.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.11  “Independent System Operator for New England (ISO-NE)” means the administrator or operator for New England’s bulk power system or any successor system as named by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.12  “Indicating demand device” means a type of metering equipment used to measure and display demand values.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En  302.13  “Light load” means the meter accuracy test point at rated test voltage, 10% of rated test current, and 1.0 power factor.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.14  “Master metering” means the use of a single meter to supply electric service at a building that contains 2 or more premises.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.15  “Mechanical indicating demand device” means a device which uses either mechanical thermal elements or mechanical gearing in conjunction with a demand interval timing motor to determine demand values.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.16  “Mechanical meter” means a watt-hour meter built with a stator and rotor assembly that operates via electromagnetic induction principles.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.17  “Meter” means a device installed for the measurement of electrical quantities to be used as a basis for determining charges for electric service.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.18  “Power factor” means “power factor” as defined in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), IEEE 141-1993 “Recommended Practice for Electric Power Distribution for Industrial Plants,” section 8.2.1, dated 4/29/1994, available as noted in Appendix B.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.19  “Power factor load” means the meter accuracy test point at rated test voltage, rated test current, and 0.5 lagging power factor.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.20  “Recording demand device” means separate equipment used to record electronic pulse inputs from an auxiliary device in measured time intervals where the timekeeping signal is derived from the line frequency or a crystal oscillator timing unit.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

En 302.21  “Register constant” means the factor by which the register reading is multiplied to convert the displayed register readings in kilowatt hours or other units taking into consideration the watt-hour constant, gear ratios, electronic register programming constants, and instrument transformer ratios as necessary.  This term includes “dial constant,” “register multiplier,” or “reading multiplier.”

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.22  “Root mean square (RMS)” means the measure of steady-state voltage or current as calculated from the square root of the mean of the squares from the voltage or current waveform.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.23  “Utility” means any public utility, as described in RSA 362:2, owning, operating, or managing any plant or equipment or any part of the same for the transmission, distribution, or generation of electricity ultimately sold to the public within New Hampshire except:

 

          (a)  Municipal corporations, to the extent exempt pursuant to RSA 362:4-a;

 

          (b)  Entities specifically described as exempted pursuant to RSA 362:4-c; and

 

          (c)  Competitive energy suppliers that have not requested public utility status pursuant to RSA 374-F:7, I.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 302.24  “Wide-scale emergency” means an event which results in, or is or expected to result in:

 

          (a)  A sustained interruption of electric service to 10% or more of the utility’s customers, or 40,000 of the utility’s customers, whichever is less and restoration of electric service to any of these customers takes more than 24 hours; or

 

          (b)  The federal, state, or local government declaring an official state of emergency in the utility’s service territory and the emergency involves an interruption of electric service.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

PART En 303  SERVICE PROVISIONS

 

          En 303.01  Master Metering.

 

          (a)  No utility shall install or provide electric service to a master meter where individual metering is required by either the state building code adopted by RSA 155-A:1, IV, in particular, the state adopted edition of the International Building Code and the International Energy Conservation Code, or by local amendments adopted pursuant to RSA 155-A:3 or local ordinances, unless:

 

                  (1)  Individual meter sockets have been installed either by the utility or its customer;

 

                  (2)  Any charge for electricity sold is measured using a utility revenue grade meter and billed by the utility; and

 

                  (3)  The utility’s tariff requires:

 

                          a.  Electricity to be used on the premises to which it is delivered; and

 

                          b.  Prohibits the utility’s customer from selling, assigning, or otherwise directly or indirectly disposing of the electricity delivered to the master meter to others except through its inclusion in a fixed rent.

 

          (b)  A utility may install or provide electric service to a master meter where individual metering is not required by the state building code adopted by RSA 155-A:1, IV, in particular, the state adopted edition of the International Building Code and the International Energy Conservation Code, only when:

 

                  (1)  Local amendments or regulations adopted by ordinance pursuant to RSA 155-A:3 do not prohibit master metering;

 

                  (2)  Any installation of individual meters by the property owner are not used for billing for electricity use; and

 

                  (3)  The utility’s tariff requires:

 

                          a.  Electricity to be used on the premises to which it is delivered; and

 

                          b.  Prohibits the utility’s customer from selling, assigning, or otherwise directly or indirectly disposing of the electricity delivered to the master meter to others except through:

 

                                  (i)  Its inclusion in a fixed rent; or

 

                                  (ii) Through an unmetered sharing of expense arrangement where 2 or more businesses jointly utilize the same premises and service is rendered through a single service connection and meter.

 

          (c)  For the purposes of this part, the sale of electric vehicle charging services to a third party from an electric vehicle charging station shall not be considered the resale of electricity.

 

          (d)  The restrictions against installing or servicing a master meter in En 303.01(a) and (b) shall not apply where the master meter would have been permitted pursuant to a commission rule in effect at the time the master meter was installed, or master metering was permitted by a decision issued by the commission or department prior to January 1, 2025, and:

 

                  (1)  Building permits have been obtained and occupancy approvals are in effect for the subject building;

 

                  (2)  The design and use of the building has not changed since installation, if installed pursuant to a commission rule, or since issuance of a decision by the commission or department permitting the master meter; and

 

                  (3)  The utility’s customer remains in conformity with any conditions imposed by a decision of the commission or department.

 

          (e)  The utility shall require its customers to:

 

                  (1)  Certify their eligibility for master metering;

 

                  (2)  Provide documentation necessary to verify that the customer complies with En 303.01(a) or (b) before providing initial service to the customer; and

 

                  (3)  Certify their eligibility for master metering and whenever a material change occurs in building use, billing practice, or electrical design, or a change is made to a building code or zoning ordinance relating to metering occurs provide documentation necessary to verify that the customer continues to meet En 303.01(a) or (b) and is grandfathered with respect to any change in code or ordinance.

 

          (f)  Notwithstanding any other department rule to the contrary, the department shall not waive any of the provisions of this part.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 303.02  Meter Reading.

 

          (a)  The customer shall be provided metering equipment for each service location which measures or provides information to determine the following:

 

                  (1)  The number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) registered; and

 

                  (2)  If applicable, the following:

 

                          a.  Kilowatt (kW) demand;

 

                          b.  Kilovolt amperes (kVA) demand; and

 

                          c.  Kilovolt-ampere reactive (kVAr) demand.

 

          (b)  A utility shall plainly mark the meter constants on a visible surface or base of all its meters which show the watt-hours per revolution of the meter disk or the electronic equivalent applicable to an electronic meter.

 

          (c)  A utility shall plainly mark on a visible surface or base of all its meters the register constant if the register constant is not one.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

PART En 304  QUALITY OF ELECTRIC SERVICE

 

          En 304.01  Frequency.  A utility shall provide alternating current distribution systems which shall have a design and operating frequency of 60 cycles per second under normal system conditions which shall vary only within a narrow range according to operations criteria established by the ISO-NE.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 304.02  Voltage Variation.

 

          (a)  For purposes of this section, “Y” means the 4-wire connection type used for a particular 3 phase electric system component.

 

          (b)  Each utility furnishing electric service shall adopt a standard nominal average RMS voltage or voltages which are consistent with the design of the distribution system for its entire service area and for each of the districts or zones into which the distribution system or systems are divided from one of the following systems:

 

                  (1)  For secondary voltages of 120 and 120/240 volts, single phase 2-wire or 3-wire systems; or

 

                  (2)  For secondary voltages of 120/208Y, 240, 277/480Y, 480, and 600 volts, 3-phase, 3-wire, or 4-wire systems.

 

          (c)  A utility shall maintain the nominal secondary voltage at the utility’s service terminals or at the street lamp in the case of multiple street lighting, as installed for each customer, within plus or minus 5% average RMS.

 

          (d)  When a customer receives service from primary distribution voltage and is responsible for supplying its own voltage regulation, the utility shall maintain the nominal secondary voltage at the utility’s service terminals as installed for each customer, within plus or minus 10% RMS, except as provided in (e) below.

 

          (e)  When a customer is not responsible for its own voltage regulation, the utility shall maintain the nominal average RMS voltage at the utility’s service terminals, as installed for each customer, within plus or minus 5%.

 

          (f)  The requirements of (d) and (e) above shall not apply to transactions between utilities provided that primary customer voltage requirements are maintained.

 

          (g)  Voltage variations outside of the limits in (c), (d), and (e) shall be allowed in accordance with ANSI C84.1-2020 “Electrical Power Systems Voltage Ratings (60Hz),” dated 3/10/2020, available as noted in Appendix B.

 

          (h)  A utility may vary from the voltage requirements provided by this section in a special contract provided that:

 

                  (1)  The permissible variation in voltage for service shall be specifically mentioned in the contract; or

 

                  (2)  A statement is included in the contract to indicate that the contracting parties are in agreement concerning the allowable variation.

 

          (i)  When voltage measurements for detecting variations are required, a utility shall make the measurements at the utility’s service terminals, or at the street lamp in the case of multiple street lighting, unless otherwise agreed to by the customer and the utility.

 

          (j)  If voltage measurements are taken at places other than at the utility’s service terminals or at the street lamp in the case of multiple street lighting, those measurements shall be corrected to the utility’s service terminal or street lamp in the case of multiple street lighting.

 

          (k)  The utility shall maintain the voltage and frequency delivered at the utility’s service terminals or at the street lamp in the case of multiple street lighting, pursuant to En 304.01 and En 304.02(b), (c), (h), and (i).

 

          (l)  Voltage outside the limits specified in this section shall not be considered a violation of this section when such variations:

 

                  (1)  Arise from adverse weather conditions;

 

                  (2)  Arise from operation of the affected customer’s equipment at low power factor;

 

                  (3)  Arise from unbalanced operation of the affected customer’s equipment;

 

                  (4)  Arise from failure of, or emergency maintenance on, equipment;

 

                  (5)  Are transient events on a system designed to good utility practice, as defined in En 306.01(b), arising from operation of system equipment during system protection, control, and switching activities;

 

                  (6)  Are caused by emergency system operating conditions or order of the independent system operator; or

 

                  (7)  Arise from actions of others.

 

          (m)  A voltage variation shall not be considered a violation of this section if:

 

                  (1)  The variation does not occur more than once per day; and

 

                  (2)  Does not exceed 2 minutes in duration.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 304.03  Interruptions of Service.

 

(a)  Each utility shall use all reasonable means within industry practices to avoid interruptions to service, including:

 

                  (1)  Maintaining appropriate levels of maintenance;

 

                  (2)  Planning for unexpected events; and

 

                  (3)  Considering in decisions affecting potential interruptions to service:

 

                          a.  The potential safety, reliability, cost, and delay issues; and

 

                          b.  The manner that best accommodates the public.

 

          (b)  If an interruption to service occurs, the utility shall restore service within the shortest time reasonable, consistent with safety, and provide service on a 24-hour basis.

 

          (c)  Each utility shall maintain a record, as required in (d) below, when an interruption to service of more than a 5-minute duration occurs affecting:

 

                  (1)  An entire substation; or

 

                  (2)  The entire distribution circuit of a substation.

 

          (d)  When an interruption to service occurs as described in (c) above, a utility shall:

 

                  (1)  Keep a record of the circumstances of the interruption; and

 

                  (2)  Report the interruption to the department on Form E-2, pursuant to En 308.02.

 

          (e)  When service is interrupted to perform work on lines or equipment, the utility shall conduct such work at a time causing minimum inconvenience to customers consistent with the circumstances.

 

          (f)  A utility shall attempt to notify all affected customers in advance of all planned interruptions to service.

 

          (g)  When a utility has actual notice of customers known by the utility who would encounter a potentially life-threatening situation as a result of a planned service interruption, the utility shall provide actual notice to those customers of planned service interruptions.

 

          (h)  A potentially life-threatening situation, for purposes of (g) above, shall mean a situation where:

 

                  (1)  A customer relies upon life support equipment; or

 

                  (2)  Any other potentially life-threatening medical condition exists.

 

          (i)  A utility shall be permitted to require the customer to document the potentially life-threatening situation and to request such documentation be updated on an annual basis.

 

          (j)  A utility shall interrupt or curtail electric service or vary the characteristics thereof under the following circumstances:

 

                  (1)  When necessary to prevent injury to persons or damage to property;

 

                  (2)  When directed or requested to do so by police, fire, or other public safety officials;

 

                  (3)  When required by conditions occurring in the interconnected transmission grid connected to its facilities, to effect temporary load reduction for the common good; or

 

                  (4)  With notice to the customers or group of customers and the department pursuant to En 1203.11, to prevent a single customer or group of customers from causing continuing adverse effects to the electricity supply of another customer or group of customers.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 304.04  Voltage Complaints.

 

          (a)  Upon receipt of a customer voltage complaint, a utility shall investigate to determine whether the complaint was founded or unfounded.

 

          (b)  For the purposes of this section:

 

                  (1)  “Founded” means the utility’s determination that the voltage complaint was based on a voltage variation in violation of En 304.02;

 

                  (2)  “Unfounded” means the utility’s determination that the voltage measures were within the limits established in En 304.02; and

 

                  (3)  “Voltage complaint” means written notice to the company or oral communication with the utility’s customer service representatives by the customer of conditions or circumstances that suggest or evidence voltage variations outside of the limits established in En 304.02.

 

          (c)  When a utility determines that a voltage complaint is founded, it shall take appropriate steps to correct the condition and bring voltage into the limits established in En 304.02.

 

          (d)  When a utility determines that a voltage complaint is founded or unfounded, it shall provide written notification to the customer within 10 calendar days of such determination.

 

          (e)  Each utility shall report voltage complaints on a monthly basis to the department pursuant to En 308.01.

 

          (f)  Each utility shall maintain all records of voltage complaints investigated pursuant to (a) above for a period of 5 years from the date of the complaint.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

PART En 305  METER ACCURACY AND TESTING

 

          En 305.01  Inspection of Meters.

 

          (a)  A utility shall inspect all meters for correctness of register constant before installing the meter on a customer’s premises.

 

          (b)  No new watt-hour meter shall be placed into service unless specific test results indicate a registration within the tolerances of En 305.02(a) below.

 

          (c)  Paragraph (b) above shall not apply to electronic indicating demand devices such as electronic recorders and internal electronic registers which shall be subject to examination by utilities to assure that the devices have not been modified in a way that affects performance.

 

          (d)  A utility shall test each new watt-hour meter prior to installation.

 

          (e)  A utility shall use one of the following methods to comply with (d) above:

 

                  (1)  Test all meters received from the manufacturer;

 

                  (2)  Conduct sample testing after department approval of the sample testing methods; or

 

                  (3)  Accept manufacturer testing data with specific test results consistent with En 305.03(a) below.

 

          (f)  Before returning a meter to service which has been removed from service for any reason, a utility shall inspect and, if necessary:

 

                  (1)  Repair the meter; or

 

                  (2)  Recalibrate the accuracy of the meter.

 

          (g)  A utility shall inspect all watt-hour meters and demand devices for correctness of operation when installed, perform an electrical test of all instrument transformer connections, and correct or repair such meters and devices as necessary.

 

          (h)  Prior to or at the time of installation of all instrument transformers, a utility shall also conduct the following activities:

 

                  (1)  Review and maintain manufacturer’s test data for instrument transformers purchased;

 

                  (2)  Verify the current transformer ratio and voltage transformer ratio via electrical testing;

 

                  (3) Verify wiring by performing an inspection of instrument transformer secondary circuit connections consisting of:

 

                          a.  Verification of polarity by using one of the following methods:

 

                                  1.  Electrical testing where sufficient load current exists; or

 

                                  2. Visual inspection of control cable wiring between the instrument transformer secondary terminals and the meter terminals;

 

                          b.  Verification that the current transformer input signal phase matches the corresponding voltage or voltage transformer input signal phase to the meter; and

 

                          c.  Verification that phasing is appropriate where multiple primary conductors exist for one or more phases that serve as the primary windings for a window type current transformer; and

 

                  (4)  Confirm the effective current transformer ratio based on the nominal nameplate ratio for the connected secondary terminals along with proper consideration for multiple primary conductor loops in window type current transformer installations.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 305.02  Test and Calibration of Meters.

 

          (a)  A utility shall test all watt-hour meters at loads and adjust to tolerances as follows:

 

                  (1)  At full load, the meter shall register within plus or minus 1%;

 

                  (2)  At light load, the meter shall register within plus or minus 1%; and

 

                  (3)  At power factor load, the meter shall register within plus or minus 2%.

 

          (b)  A utility shall test mechanical meters for creep by visual inspection of the meter’s rotor or utilizing electronic test methods.

 

          (c)  If the rotor does not move with rated voltage and no load current applied to the meter, it shall be considered to have passed the test required by (b) above.

 

          (d)  If movement is detected in the rotor when rated voltage and no load currents are applied to the meter, the movement shall be timed, and if the results comply with the creep test guidelines of section 4.7.2.1. of ANSI C12.1-2022 “Code for Electricity Metering,” dated 6/9/2022, available as noted in Appendix B, it shall be considered to have passed the test required by (b) above.

 

          (e)  Meters which fail the creep test shall not be placed into service.

 

          (f)  A utility shall test and adjust all indicating and recording demand devices as follows:

 

                  (1)  The utility shall verify that any indicating demand device shall reset properly to zero when placed in service or allowed to remain in service without adjustment;

 

                  (2)  The utility shall, in order to determine the accuracy of each mechanical indicating demand device, conduct an up-scale test, meaning a test on the upper end or at the higher values of the scale of the meter, as follows:

 

                          a.  According to the meter manufacturer’s specifications; or

 

                          b.  If the meter manufacturer does not provide specifications as to conducting an up-scale test, with a test conducted at a minimum of one demand interval cycle, at a point near 1/2 scale;

 

                  (3)  A utility shall not place in service or allow to remain in service after inspection any mechanical indicating demand device which has an error in indication of more than plus or minus 2% in full scale registration without adjustment; and

 

                  (4)  Recording demand devices shall conform to the in-service requirements of ANSI C12.1-2022 “Code for Electricity Metering,” dated 6/9/2022, available as noted in Appendix B.

 

          (g)  To determine the accuracy of electronic indicating demand devices, each utility shall conduct a test at a load and time interval that will result in a demand reading with resolution sufficient to determine that the reading is within plus or minus 2% of the average load applied to the meter during the test.  For shipments of new self-contained single phase or network demand meter purchases, the utility shall only be required to test a sample of meters, consistent with En 305.01(e)(2), to verify the demand related programming values are correct and that demand calculations are performed correctly.

 

          (h)  A utility shall test all motors used to maintain a timing cycle in a mechanical indicating demand device to insure they are running at the proper speed, where such timing cycle directly affects meter registration.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 305.03  Test Schedules for Watt-Hour Meters and Demand Devices.

 

          (a)  A utility may accept as a first test and record as a test a manufacturer’s test on new meters if the meter is certified by the manufacturer as built to comply with ANSI C12.1-2022 “Code for Electricity Metering” dated 6/9/2022, or ANSI C12.20-2015 “Electricity Meters,” dated 4/1/2017, available as noted in Appendix B.

 

          (b)  A utility shall test and calibrate all new meters not certified by the manufacturer as provided in (a) above before placing any such meter into service.

 

          (c)  A utility shall each year test and, as necessary, repair and recalibrate or retire all watt-hour meters and demand devices in service on a test schedule as follows:

 

                  (1)  All self-contained single-phase watt-hour meters:

 

                          a.  On a periodic basis resulting in each meter being tested at least once every 12 years; or

 

                          b.  By each year selecting, testing and, as necessary, retiring meters under a plan as follows:

 

                                  1.  A sample test group, selected at random and representing a cross-section of the utility’s meters, comprised of at least 0.5% of meters in use; and

 

                                  2.  An additional number of meters, determined pursuant to (d) below, selected from those meters which appear to be most adversely affecting meter accuracy;

 

                  (2)  Self-contained polyphase meters, each meter no less than once every 24 years;

 

                  (3)  Single-phase transformer-rated meters, each meter no less than once every 16 years; and

 

                  (4)  Polyphase transformer-rated meters, each meter no less than once every 8 years.

 

          (d)  Each utility which tests self-contained single-phase watt-hour meters pursuant to (c)(1)b. above, shall test and repair and recalibrate or retire each year a minimum number of meters, pursuant to (c)(1)b.2. above, in addition to sample meter tests required to be conducted pursuant to (c)(1)b.1. above, according to the formula as follows:

 

                  (1)  The utility shall create a test curve ratio in which:

 

                          a.  “X” means the percentage of meters in the cumulative sample test group which tested outside of the weighted accuracy limits of between 98% and 102% for mechanical meters and between 98% and 101% for electronic meters; and

 

                          b.  “R” means the percentage of the total number of meters subject to sample testing which it shall test and repair and recalibrate or retire in addition to those meters tested pursuant to (c)(1).b.1. above; and

 

                  (2)  Each utility shall determine the number of additional meters it shall test pursuant to this paragraph by calculating “R” as described below and applying this percentage to the total number of in-service meters subject to sample testing, as follows:

 

                          a.  When “X” is between 0% and 3%, by multiplying 12.5 by “X” divided by 3, squared, as in the formula below:

 

R = 12.5(X/3)2 percent;

 

                          b.  When “X” is greater than 3% and less than 6% by subtracting from 25, 12.5 multiplied by 2 minus “X,” divided by 3, squared, as in the formula below:

 

R = 25 - 12.5(2 - X/3)2 percent;

 

                          c.  When “X” is greater than 6%, “R” shall equal 25%;

 

                          d.  If “X” is 0.0% to 0.5%, the number of the additional meters to be tested shall be multiplied by 1.0; and

 

                          e.  If “X” is greater than 0.5%, the number of additional meters to be tested shall be multiplied by 1.0 + ((X – 0.5)/2).

 

          (e)  A utility shall include in the cumulative sample required by (d)(1)a. above:

 

                  (1)  The sample test group of the current year; and

 

                  (2)  To the extent available, the sample test groups of the immediately preceding 3 years.

 

          (f)  In determining the minimum number of additional meters which it shall be required to test pursuant to (c) above, a utility shall not include any meter returned to the shop for maintenance.

 

          (g)  A utility shall notify the department in writing before changing any meter testing schedule which the utility has adopted pursuant to this section.

 

          (h)  A utility shall test and recalibrate as necessary all polyphase meters removed from service before returning the meter to service.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 305.04  Request Tests and Reports and Records of Meter Tests.

 

          (a)  When a customer requests that a utility test the customer’s meter, the utility shall test the accuracy of the customer’s meter within 15 calendar days from the time this request is made.

 

          (b)  A utility may require the deposit of a fee of not more than $20.00 for such a test and shall, in cases where a customer presents evidence of financial hardship as defined in En 1202.10, either waive the fee or offer the customer the opportunity to enter into a payment plan for such fee.

 

          (c)  A utility shall conduct any test on a meter requested by the customer with the meter in its service location.

 

          (d)  If, on testing, as described in (a) above, the meter is found to have an average error greater than 2%, the utility shall promptly refund the deposit to the customer.

 

          (e)  If the meter, upon testing as described in (a) above, is not found to have an average error greater than 2%, the utility may retain the amount deposited for the test.

 

          (f)  A utility shall allow a customer to be present or to be represented by an agent who the utility shall permit to be present when the utility conducts the test on that customer’s meter.

 

          (g)  The utility shall report the results of the meter test to the customer within 15 calendar days of the test.

 

          (h)  In the report required by (g) above, the utility shall provide:

 

                  (1)  The name of the customer requesting the test;

 

                  (2)  The date of the request;

 

                  (3)  The location;

 

                  (4)  The type, make, and the serial number of the meter;

 

                  (5)  The date tested;

 

                  (6)  The numeric result of the weighted-average test;

 

                  (7)  The numeric range of weighted-average test results permitted by the department; and

 

                  (8)  A statement indicating whether the customer’s test result was within or outside the range permitted by the department.

 

          (i)  When a utility has received a request for a meter test, the utility shall not remove the meter from the customer’s premises or interfere with or adjust the meter to be tested unless it has first obtained:

 

                  (1)  The written consent of the customer; or

 

                  (2)  A waiver of the consent requirement pursuant to En 201.05.

 

          (j)  When a customer requests that the department verify the accuracy of the customer’s meter, the department shall, by a representative, monitor the conducting of a meter test conducted by the utility.

 

          (k)  Each utility shall submit to the department reports of periodic and sample tests of meters on Form E-3 and Form E-3A once a year pursuant to En 308.03 and En 308.04.

 

          (l)  Each utility shall submit to the department quarterly reports containing monthly data of customer requests for meter tests on Form E-4 pursuant to En 308.05.

 

          (m)  A utility shall retain in its files a complete record of the last test made on each meter.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 305.05  Customer’s Bill Adjustments.

 

          (a)  In meter tests made by the utility pursuant to En 305.04, the utility and the department shall judge the correctness of registration of the meter and its performance in service by its average error.

 

          (b)  A utility and the department shall determine average error for purposes of meter tests as follows:

 

                  (1)  If the meter is used to measure a load which is constant, such as a street lighting load or a display sign load, the meter shall be tested at the constant load;

 

                  (2)  The error of a meter used to measure a constant load shall be accepted as the average meter error;

 

                  (3)  If the meter is used on a varying load, the average error shall be:

 

                          a.  The weighted average of its error at light load with a weighting of 1.0; and

 

                          b.  The weighted average of its error at full load with a weighting of 4.0; and

 

                  (4)  Any adjustment of charges which is made in accordance with this section shall be based on the average error as determined by this paragraph.

 

          (c)  Whenever, as the result of a test made by the utility, a watt-hour meter is found to have an average error greater than 2%, the company shall, except to the extent provided in (d) below, refund to the customer an amount equal to the charge for the excess kilowatt-hours billed for a period:

 

                  (1)  Equal to 1/2 the time elapsed since the last test; or

 

                  (2)  If the time when the error first developed or occurred can be definitely fixed, then from that point.

 

          (d)  The calculation for a bill adjustment in (c) above shall not consider any period during which:

 

                  (1)  The customer did not receive service at that location; or

 

                  (2)  The customer was purposefully diverting electricity or tampering with the metering installation.

 

          (e)  Whenever, as the result of a test made by the utility, a watt-hour meter is found to have an average error greater than 2%, the company may bill the customer for the unbilled kilowatt-hours supplied for the shorter of the following periods:

 

                  (1)  The previous 6 months of active usage; or

 

                  (2)  The period since the last test.

 

          (f)  When a customer is charged pursuant to (e) above, the utility shall allow the customer to request a payment plan, and regardless of the customer’s financial circumstances, such payment plan shall not be less than the period of time over which the unbilled kilowatt-hours accrued unless agreed to by the utility and the customer.

 

          (g)  If a meter is either not registering or partially registering the electricity delivered to the customer, the utility shall base the bill for the period of non-registration or partial registration upon:

 

                  (1)  Information recorded by a meter properly registering usage at that location prior or subsequent to the period of non-registration or partial registration; and

 

                  (2)  Any other pertinent information supplied by the customer or known to the utility.

 

          (h)  When calculating the difference between the billed and estimated amounts resulting from the non-registration or partial registration, the utility shall not bill the customer for more than 6 months of partial or non-registration unless the customer was purposely diverting electricity or tampering with the metering installation.

 

          (i)  The utility shall provide each customer receiving a refund pursuant to (c) above or being charged pursuant to (e) above with a clear explanation of how such refund or charges were calculated.

 

          (j)  If a meter is determined to have been assigned to the wrong customer and a customer has been billed based on usage recorded on a meter connected to residential or commercial space not occupied by that customer, the utility shall correct the billing to affected customers as follows:

 

                  (1)  For customers who have been under billed, invoices for the billing difference shall cover the customer’s period of occupancy or 6 months, whichever is shorter; and

 

                  (2)  For customers who have been overbilled, refunds of the billing difference shall cover the period of occupancy or 24 months, whichever is shorter.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 305.06  Testing Facilities and Equipment, Watt-Hour Standards.

 

          (a)  Every utility shall have available one or more reference standards for the sole purpose of checking working standards.

 

          (b)  Each utility shall have all reference standards and all working standards certified at least once each year in a laboratory meeting specifications recommended by the watt-hour standard manufacturer.

 

          (c)  Each utility shall have each working standard which it maintains accompanied by a calibration card noting the corrections at various working loads.

 

          (d)  Each utility shall keep on file in its office for 2 years any calibration cards which have been superseded.

 

          (e)  Each utility shall maintain an adequate number of working standards for testing customer meters.

 

          (f)  Each utility shall check the mechanical field working standards used in the direct calibration of customer meters every 3 months to determine whether there has been a change in the performance of a standard unless the mechanical field working standard is certified at intervals recommended by the manufacturer not to exceed one year.

 

          (g)  Each utility shall check the mechanical meter shop working standards used in the direct calibration of customer meters once a week to determine whether there has been a change in the performance of the standard, and shall certify the mechanical meter shop working standard at intervals recommended by the manufacturer not to exceed one year.

 

          (h)  Each utility shall compare its electronic working standards for testing customer meters to reference standards at least once every year.

 

          (i)  Any working standard found to be in error by more than 1% shall be removed from service.

 

          (j)  A utility shall certify its watt-hour standards as follows:

 

                  (1)  In an independent standards laboratory; or

 

                  (2)  In a laboratory maintained by the utility provided that the department accepts the instruments and methods pursuant to En 201.05.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 305.07  Testing Facilities and Equipment, Portable Indicating Standards.

 

          (a)  Every utility shall have available reference indicating electrical instruments of suitable range for checking working instruments.

 

          (b)  Each utility shall check reference indicating instruments required by (a) above at least once each year in an independent standards laboratory.

 

          (c)  Each utility shall not use the reference indicating instruments required by (a) above in the field as working instruments.

 

          (d)  Each utility shall have calibration cards accompany each instrument required by (a) above which note the corrections to be applied at the various parts of the working scale.

 

          (e)  Each utility shall have available the types and quantities of working instruments necessary to determine compliance with these rules for:

 

                  (1)  Recording and indicating customer voltage; and

 

                  (2)  Testing any other electrical quantities which may be necessary to comply with the measurement and reporting requirements of this chapter.

 

          (f)  Each utility shall check the working instruments required by (e) with the reference instruments at least once each year.

 

          (g)  If reference instruments are not available within the utility, the utility shall have field instruments checked in an independent standards laboratory meeting specifications recommended by the meter manufacturer in intervals not to exceed one year.

 

          (h)  A utility may certify its reference indicating standards in a standards laboratory which it maintains provided that the instruments and methods meet specifications recommended by the meter manufacturer.

 

          (i)  Pursuant to RSA 365:6, each utility shall, upon request, provide the department access to its meter testing facilities and any and all meter test results.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

PART En 306  EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES

 

          En 306.01  Standard Practice in Construction, Operation, and Maintenance.

 

          (a)  Each utility shall construct, install, operate, and maintain its plant, structures, and equipment and lines, as follows:

 

                  (1)  In accordance with good utility practice;

 

                  (2)  After weighing all factors, including potential delay, cost, and safety issues, in such a manner to best accommodate the public; and

 

                  (3)  To prevent interference with other underground and above ground facilities, including facilities furnishing communications, gas, water, sewer, or steam service.

 

          (b)  For purposes of this section, “good utility practice” means in accordance with the standards established by:

 

                  (1)  The C2-2023 “National Electrical Safety Code,” 2023 Edition, available as noted in Appendix B;

 

                  (2)  When applicable, the International Energy Conservation Code 2018 as adopted pursuant to RSA 155-A:1, IV; and

 

                  (3)  The ISO-NE.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 306.02  Joint Pole Construction.  Each utility involved in any installation which makes use of poles either for single or joint occupancy shall conform its construction, installation, operation, and maintenance to the requirements of En 306.01.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 306.03  Electrical Interference.

 

          (a)  Each utility shall make a full and prompt investigation of complaints made by the utility’s customers or by the general public involving electrical interference with reception by communications equipment in the proximity of the utility’s transmission and service areas, including but not limited to interference with television and radio reception.

 

          (b)  Each utility shall maintain a record of complaints which it receives pursuant to (a) above.

 

          (c)  Each utility shall report to the department all complaints, as described in (a) above, that it receives that are not resolved to the satisfaction of the complaining party within 30 days of receipt or notification of the complaint.

 

          (d)  The report referred to in (c) above shall include the location of the complaint, the circuit number of the line, and a brief description of the interference.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 306.04  Safety Instructions.  Each utility, in the operation, construction, or maintenance of its plant and facilities, shall:

 

          (a)  Develop and implement a safety and health program to ensure that its employees have been:

 

                  (1)  Properly informed of safety practices and procedures; and

 

                  (2)  Protected from hazards associated with the work environment;

 

          (b)  Adopt comprehensive written instructions for the safety of its employees; and

 

          (c)  Distribute a copy of the written instructions required by (b) above to each of its employees before assignment to duty in any assignment which requires handling any energized electrical plant.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 306.05  Resuscitation.

 

          (a)  Each utility shall periodically instruct all employees engaged in work on electrical plant in accepted safety procedures for resuscitation from electric shock.

 

          (b)  Each utility shall adopt written safety procedures for resuscitation from electric shock.

 

          (c)  Each utility shall distribute copies of the written safety procedures required by this section to each employee who works on any energized plant.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 306.06  Notification of Accidents and Property Damage.

 

          (a)  A utility shall notify the department in the event of accidents and significant events involving or potentially involving the utility’s facilities, operations, works, or systems in accordance with subparts (c) – (f), except during wide scale emergencies as required by this rule.

 

          (b)  The department shall provide a protocol roster to the utilities updated as necessary which:

 

                  (1)  Lists department representatives with their after work hours telephone contact numbers, email addresses, and text contact information; and

 

                  (2)  Lists the general department telephone number.

 

          (c)  A utility shall notify the department by telephone, automated telephone notification, or electronic means as soon as possible, but no later than 2 hours after becoming aware of an outage event that interrupts service to more than 2,000 customers for more than 5 minutes.

 

          (d)  The notification shall include:

 

                  (1)  The name of the utility;

 

                  (2)  The name of the person initiating the notification and a telephone number for call back;

 

                  (3)  A brief description of the event location;

 

                  (4)  Estimated number of customers affected; and

 

                  (5)  Estimated duration of outage or service restoration time.

 

          (e)  Notification shall be to all department representatives on the protocol roster, described in (b) above through automated telephone notification, email, or text.

 

          (f)  A utility shall notify the department by telephone as soon as possible, but no later than 2 hours after becoming aware of an accident or event that:

                  (1)  Results in serious injury requiring inpatient hospitalization, or a fatality;

 

                  (2)  Involves an automobile accident or any other event, whether caused intentionally or not, that results in a degradation of operations or safety that affects 500 customers or more with an expected duration in excess of 12 hours;

 

                  (3)  Involves a breach of security or threat against the utility’s facilities addressed in section En 306.10;

 

                  (4)  Involves aircraft, trains, or commercial boats;

 

                  (5)  Results in closure of a state highway; or

 

                  (6)  Is not covered in this section but has been reported publicly via major commercial news outlets.

 

          (g)  When an accident or event occurs as described in (f) above, the utility shall notify the department as follows:

 

                  (1)  Attempt to contact the appropriate department representative listed on the protocol roster, described in (b) above, either at the department telephone number during regular department hours or at the after-hours number outside of regular department hours;

 

                  (2)  Proceed sequentially through the roster attempting to contact a department representative;

 

                  (3)  If a utility is unable to reach a department representative after following En 306.06(g)(2) above, the utility shall notify the department as follows:

 

                          a.  Call the department general telephone listing, provided in the protocol roster, and leave a voice mail message:

 

                                  1.  Identifying the utility and the name and return telephone number of the individual attempting to report; and

 

                                  2.  Stating that an accident or event requiring notification has occurred and will be reported when the department next opens; and

 

                          b.  As soon as possible during regular department hours, contact the appropriate department representative listed on the protocol roster, described in (b) above, and proceed sequentially through the roster; and

 

                  (4)  When the utility is first able to speak to a department representative listed on the protocol roster as required by this section, the utility shall notify the representative of the following:

 

                          a.  The name of the utility;

 

                          b.  The name of the person making the report and the telephone number at which they can be called back;

 

                          c.  A brief description of the accident or event and location;

 

                          d.  A description of any known fatalities, personal injuries, and damage;

 

                          e.  Any other known information relevant to the cause of the accident or event and the extent of the damage; and

 

                          f.  The time at which:

 

                                  1.  The accident of event occurred; and

 

                                  2.  The utility was first notified or the accident or event.

 

          (h)  Each utility shall report in writing any accident or event requiring notification pursuant to (f) above, by completing and submitting to the department and commission:

 

                  (1)  Form E-5E, within 5 business days of notification of the accident or event; and

 

                  (2)  A more detailed written report, referencing the original Form E-5E report number, containing any additional supportive documentation not provided in the original Form E-5E report, within 15 days of the  accident.

 

          (i)  When a utility files a report in accordance with En 306.06(h)(2) and the accident or event involves a utility’s pole or anchors located within the public way, the utility shall include in its report whether the poles or anchors were licensed and whether the poles or anchors were properly located according to that license.

 

          (j)  When a utility files a report in accordance with En 306.06(h)(2) and death occurs as a direct result of the reported accident, as known to the utility, the utility shall include this fact in such report.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 306.07  Department Inspection.  The department shall inspect the works and system of each utility as necessary to ensure the manner in which each utility has conformed and presently conforms to department rules including, without limitation, with respect to safety policies and procedures, and employee compliance therewith.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 306.08  Uniform Utility Damage Prevention Program.  All utilities shall comply with En 800, the underground utility damage prevention program rules.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 306.09  Emergency Response Standards and Electrical Outage Restoration.

 

          (a)  On an annual basis, each utility shall file with the department one electronic copy of an emergency response plan (ERP).

 

          (b)  ERPs shall incorporate the incident command system and follow the framework established in the “National Incident Management System,” Third Edition, dated October 2017, available as noted in Appendix B.

 

          (c)  Utilities shall review and update plans at least once every calendar year.

 

          (d)  Each ERP shall include a clear description of the responsibilities and policies of senior management during an emergency.

 

          (e)  Each ERP shall provide that one full readiness exercise and one table top exercise be conducted annually.  The utilities shall invite applicable state agencies and department staff to participate in such exercises.

 

          (f)  At least annually, the utility shall request to meet with municipal emergency response personnel to assure the accuracy of emergency response contact information is shared between the 2 parties, and to validate or revise the municipalities’ critical infrastructure listing.

 

          (g)  Each ERP shall incorporate projected event levels consistent with Table 306-1:

 

Table 306-1

Utility

ERP Event Level

% Customers Out

Outage Duration (Hrs.)

 

5

≤2

<12

4

>2≤5

0-24

3

>5≤10

24-48

2

>10≤20

48-144

1

>20

48-240

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

           En 306.10  Physical and Cyber Security Plans, Procedures, and Reporting.

 

           (a)  Each utility shall develop, maintain, and follow a written physical security plan designed to protect the utility’s critical equipment and facilities from breaches of security.  For purposes of this section, “critical equipment and facilities” means utility infrastructure without which the utility could not provide safe and reliable service to its customers.

 

           (b)  The plan shall be risk-based and incorporate:

 

                  (1)  A threat level assessment;

 

                  (2)  A list of critical equipment and facilities to which the plan applies;

 

                  (3)  Defined security measures for critical equipment and facilities;

 

                  (4)  Response procedures and notifications upon discovery of a breach in security;

 

                  (5)  Defined process to track events; and

 

                  (6)  Employee awareness training programs.

 

           (c)  Each utility shall develop, maintain, and follow a written information cyber security plan designed to protect the utility’s critical cyber assets.  For purposes of this section, “critical cyber assets” means those electronic data, communications, and computer network systems without which the utility could not provide safe reliable service to its customers.

 

           (d)  The plan shall be risk-based and incorporate:

 

                  (1)  A threat level assessment;

 

                  (2)  A list of critical cyber assets;

 

                  (3)  Defined security measures for critical cyber assets;

 

                  (4)  Response procedures and notifications upon discovery of a breach in security;

 

                  (5)  Defined process to track events; and

 

                  (6)  Employee awareness training programs.

 

           (e)  Each utility shall submit to the department annually one electronic copy of each of its physical security plan and cyber security plan.  If any such plan contains confidential information, the utility shall so notify the department in writing to provide the department with an opportunity to review the confidential information at the utility’s offices in New Hampshire.

 

           (f)  On the 15th day of the month following the last day of each quarter, each utility shall file Form E-37 “Quarterly Report of Equipment Theft, Sabotage, and Breaches of Security,” pursuant to En 308.11 reporting all material breaches of security as defined within the plans.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

PART En 307  RECORDS AND REPORTS

 

          En 307.01  Records.

 

          (a)  Each utility shall keep records of the operation and performance of its generating units and distribution circuits.

 

          (b)  Unless complete information as required by the ISO-NE is furnished by the utility transmitting the energy at each interconnection point, each utility receiving electric energy shall maintain adequate instruments and meters to obtain such complete information as to each delivery.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 307.02  Reports to Department.

 

          (a)  Each utility shall file periodic reports with the department as required pursuant to En 308 on forms available on the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov.  The utility shall file one electronic copy with the department as follows:

 

                  (1)  Each utility shall electronically file each report, to the extent technologically feasible, in a format compatible with the computer system of the department; and

 

                  (2)  For all utilities filing electronic reports, the filing date shall be deemed to be the date the electronic filing is received.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 307.03  Interconnection Agreements.

 

          (a)  “Interconnection agreement” means an agreement that sets forth the contractual terms necessary for any person or entity that generates electricity to connect to the utility’s system.

 

          (b)  Each utility shall file with the department a copy of each interconnection agreement entered into by the utility.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 307.04  Reliability Reporting.

 

          (a)  When quarterly circuit or system reliability indices are furnished to the department, the utility shall include the total number of operations by device which resulted in an interruption of greater than 5 minutes duration and the information required by (c) below.

 

          (b)  For purposes of this section, “device” means any equipment designed and used to automatically operate to remove faulted system elements from the system.

 

          (c)  Any utility submitting quarterly circuit or system reliability indices shall also report:

 

                  (1)  The year and calendar quarter of the report;

 

                  (2)  The circuit number;

 

                  (3)  The device identification number;

 

                  (4)  The type of device operated;

 

                  (5)  The number of actual operations of the device in the current reporting quarter, if 2 or more; and

 

                  (6)  The number of actual device operations in the current and previous 3 quarters, if 3 or more.

 

          (d)  A utility calculating the number of device operations pursuant to (c)(5) and (c)(6) above shall exclude:

 

                  (1)  Operations of devices upstream of the device being reported; and

 

                  (2)  Device identification changes due to circuit reconfigurations.

 

          (e)  Utilities shall not be required to report the information as required in (a) above for service interruptions that result from wide-scale emergencies.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 307.05  Reporting During Wide-Scale Emergencies.

 

          (a)  Distribution crew reports shall be submitted electronically 4 times per day at 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 8 p.m. using Form E-33 pursuant to En 308.08.

 

          (b)  Transmission crew reports shall be submitted electronically 4 times per day at 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 8 p.m. using Form E-34 pursuant to En 308.09.

 

          (c)  In the event that department staff anticipates the occurrence of a wide-scale emergency, staff shall notify the utilities and the utilities shall file crew reports prior to the onset of the wide-scale emergency.  Event names shall be determined by the department and made known to each of the utilities required to report.

 

          (d)  Crew reporting shall consist of only those crews which are physically located within the state boundaries regardless of what their work status is such as sleeping, resting, eating, or restoration of circuits, and shall reflect the crews which are available for restoration at the time of the report.

 

          (e)  Crew reporting shall be completed for front line, field assessment, and public safety functions and as described in Forms E-33 and E-34.

 

          (f)  Electric utility outage reports shall be submitted to the department using applicable Forms E-36A, E-36B, and E-36C any time outage information is not publicly available on utility websites during wide-scale emergencies pursuant to En 308.10.

 

          (g)  Electric utility outage reports as described in (f) above shall be submitted at the same times as required in (a) and (b) above or upon request of department staff.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 307.06  Reporting of Reliability Measures.

 

          (a)  For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

 

                  (1)  “Customer average interruption duration index (CAIDI)” means the average interruption duration or average time to restore service per interrupted customer and shall be presented as the following ratio: Total sum of customer interruption durations/total number of customer interruptions;

 

                  (2)  “System average interruption frequency index (SAIFI)” means the average number of interruptions per customer and shall be presented in the following ratio: Total number of customer interruptions/average number of customers served;

 

                  (3)  “System average interruption duration index (SAIDI)” means the average duration of customer interruptions and shall be presented as the following calculation: SAIDI = CAIDI x SAIFI;

 

                  (4)  “CIII” means the average number of customers without power per interruption index as determined by dividing the number of customers interrupted by the number of interruptions;

 

                  (5)  “TMED” means the threshold value used to determine a major event day as defined in IEEE 1366-2022, Section 1.5 “Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices,” dated 11/22/2022, available as noted in Appendix B; and

 

                  (6)  “Major event day” means a day during which a utility’s daily system SAIDI exceeds the TMED.

 

          (b)  Within 45 days of the end of each calendar quarter, each utility shall file quarterly reports of reliability measures defined in (a)(1) - (4) above, and shall separately report the reliability measures by area work center and as aggregated for the whole company.

 

          (c)  Each utility shall report the indices separately:

 

                  (1)  With all interruptions included in the data; and

 

                  (2)  With major event days excluded from the data.

 

          (d)  The report shall depict the reliability measure information by distribution and transmission systems as applicable.

 

          En 307.07  Tree-Pruning Standards.

 

          (a)  With the landowner’s consent, utilities shall prune trees adjacent to all distribution circuits to the following minimum clearances on no more than a 5-year cycle:

 

                  (1)  Ten feet below the conductors;

 

                  (2)  Eight feet to the side of the nearest conductor; and

 

                  (3)  Fifteen feet above the conductors, at time of pruning.

 

          (b)  Utilities shall implement measures such as mid-cycle reviews to identify and mitigate elevated risk from tree exposure on circuits or sections of circuits that are significantly or continually experiencing tree-related interruptions, where it is practical to do so.

 

          (c)  Utilities shall not be required to prune to the clearance standards specified in (a) of this section where:

 

                  (1)  The landowner has refused or restricted permission to prune;

 

                  (2)  A municipality or other local governing body, by ordinance or other official means, has refused or restricted permission to prune; or

 

                  (3)  Pruning to the standards specified in subpart (a) would be detrimental to the health of the tree, in which the utility shall adhere to the guidelines provided in ANSI A300 (Part 1) “Tree Care Operations – Tree, Shrub and Other Woody Plant Maintenance – Standard Practices” (2017), available as noted in Appendix B.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

PART En 308  FORMS REQUIRED BY ALL UTILITIES

 

          En 308.01  E-1 Monthly Report on Voltage Complaints.  Each utility shall on a monthly basis complete a report of voltage complaints on Form E-1 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one signed electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.02  E-2 Quarterly Report on Interruptions of Service Over 5 Minutes Duration.  Each utility shall on a quarterly basis complete a report of service interruptions of more than 5 minutes on the Form E-2 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one signed electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.03  E-3 Annual Report of Total Electric Meter Tests.  Each utility shall on an annual basis complete a report of total electric meter tests on Form E-3 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one signed electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.04  E-3A Report on Selective Sample Tests of Weighted Average Accuracy on Self-Contained Single-Phase Meters and Network Meters.  Each utility shall on an annual basis complete a report on selected sample tests of weighted average accuracy on self-contained single-phase meters and network meters on Form E-3A dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one signed electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.05  E-4 Monthly Report on Electric Meter Complaint Tests.  Each utility shall on a monthly basis complete a report of electric meter complaint tests on Form E-4 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one signed electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.06  E-5E Utility Accident Report.  Each utility shall report any accident or event to the department by completing an accident report on Form E-5E dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one signed electronic copy with the department.  The utility shall provide the following information in addition to the completed form:

 

                (a)  If “Five Day Report” is checked, immediate or next day notification as defined by En 306.06 is required, followed by Form E-5E being filed within 5 business days of the accident.  A detailed report shall follow within 15 days of the accident;

 

            (b)  If death occurs within 60 days following the reported accident as a direct result of the accident, and is known by the utility, after this report is filed, that fact shall be stated in an additional report; and

 

            (c)  If answering “No” to “Pole/Anchor Information,” attach license and a diagram of the actual location versus the licensed location.

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.07  F-22  Information Sheet.  Each utility shall, on an annual basis or when there are changes to information previously provided, complete and file with the department one signed electronic copy of Form F-22 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.08  E-33 Distribution Crew Report.  During wide scale emergencies, a utility shall complete Form E-33 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.09  E-34 Transmission Crew Report.  During wide scale emergencies, a utility shall complete Form E-34 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.10  E-36A, E-36B, and E-36C Electric Utility Outage Report.  During wide scale emergencies, each utility shall complete the applicable Form E-36 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one electronic copy with the department as follows:

 

          (a)  E-36A - Granite State Electric Company d/b/a/ Liberty;

 

          (b)  E-36B - Public Service Company of New Hampshire d/b/a Eversource Energy; and

 

          (c)  E-36C - Unitil Energy Systems, Inc.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.11  Quarterly Report of Equipment Theft, Sabotage, and Breaches of Security.  Each utility shall on a quarterly basis complete a report of equipment theft, sabotage, and breaches of security on Form E-37 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one signed electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

 

          En 308.12  Quarterly Reporting of Electric Utility Reliability Measures.  Each utility shall on a quarterly basis complete a report of electric utility reliability measures on Form E-38 dated 10/2024, available at the department’s website at www.energy.nh.gov, and file one signed electronic copy with the department.

 

Source.  #14101, eff 10-22-24, EXPIRES: 10-22-34 (see Revision Note at chapter heading for En 300)

APPENDIX A

 

 

Rule

Statute

En 301.01-En 301.02

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 362:2, II

En 302.01-En 302.24

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 370:1-9

En 303.01

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 374:15

En 303.02

RSA 12-P:5, IV

En 304.01-En 304.04

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 370:1 , RSA 370:2; RSA 374:1;RSA 374-F:3, I

En 305.01-En 305.07

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 365:6; RSA 370:1-9, RSA 374:1, RSA 374-F:3, I

En 306.01-En 306.05

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 374:1; RSA 374-F:3, I

En 306.06 and En 306.07

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 365:6; RSA 374:39

En 306.08

RSA 12-P:5, IV, RSA 374:1, RSA 374-F:3, I; RSA 374:49

En 306.09-En 306.10

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 374:1,  and RSA 374:3

En 307.01-En 307.04

RSA 12-P:5, IV

En 307.05-En 307.07

RSA 12-P:5, IV

En 308.01-En 308.02

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 374:15

En 308.03-En 308.05

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 370:1-9; RSA 374:15

En 308.06

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 374:15; RSA 374:39

En 308.07

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 374:4,  RSA 374:5; RSA 374:15

En 308.08-En 308.10

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 374:1; RSA 374:4; RSA 374:15

En 308.11–En 308.12

RSA 12-P:5, IV; RSA 374:1; RSA 374:15; RSA 374-F:3, I

 

APPENDIX B: INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE INFORMATION

 

RULE

TITLE (DATE)

SOURCE

En 302.18

 

 

 

En 306.01(b)(1)

 

 

 

En 307.06(a)(5)

IEEE 141-1993 “Recommended Practice For Electric Power Distribution For Industrial Plants,” section 8.2.1, dated 4/29/1994

 

IEEE C2-2023 “National Electrical Safety Code,” 2023 Edition

 

 

IEEE 1366-2022, Section 1.5 “Guide For Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices,” dated 11/22/2022

Hard copy can be purchased for $234 and a PDF version for $209 at: http://techstreet.com/ieee

 

 

Hard copy can be purchased for $237 and a PDF version for $214 at: http://techstreet.com/ieee

 

 

Hard copy can be purchased for $84 and a secure pdf for $68 at: http://techstreet.com/ieee

 

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Operation Center, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ  08854-4141

En 304.02(g)

 

 

En 305.02(d)

En 305.02(f)(4)

En 305.03(a)

 

En 305.03(a)

 

 

En 307.07(c)(3)

ANSI C84.1-2020 “Electric Power Systems Voltage Ratings (60 Hz),” dated 3/10/2020

 

ANSI C12.1-2022 “Code for Electricity Metering,” dated 6/9/2022

 

 

ANSI C12.20-2015 “Electricity Meters,” dated 4/1/2017

 

ANSI A300 (Part 1) “Tree Care Operations – Tree, Shrub and Other Woody Plant Maintenance – Standard Practices” (2017)

PDF copy can be purchased for $163 at: https://webstore.ansi.org/

 

PDF copy can be purchased for $465 at: https://webstore.ansi.org/

 

 

Included with ANSI C12.1-2022, above.

 

American National Standards Institute

25 West 43rd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036

 

Paper copy can be purchased for $79 at: https://www.amazon.com/Pruning-Standard-Shrub-Maintenance-Practises/dp/B007SY2KJK

En 306.09(b)

“National Incident Management System,” Third Edition dated October 2017

Can be obtained at no cost at: http://www.fema.gov/national-incident-management-system

 

Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security

500 C Street SW

Washington, DC 20472