and California. The rules and regulations of this part are subject to change by the proper authority and such changes will apply to all contracts then and afterwards in effect.

§ 231.2 Authority of Officer in Charge.

The Officer in Charge as referred to herein is the Superintendent of the Colorado River Indian Agency or his designated representative. The Officer in Charge or his designee is responsible for operation of the electric power system and enforcement of public notices establishing rates and regulations. He is fully authorized to carry out and enforce the rules and regulations in this part.

§ 231.3 Disputes.

In case of disputes regarding application of these rules and regulations and decisions of the Officer in Charge made pursuant thereto, appeal may be made to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs whose decision will be final. While an appeal is pending, electric service will not be discontinued except in case of emergency as provided for in §§ 231.26 and 231.29: And provided further, That payments or deposits are made as required in § 231.24.

§ 231.4 Applications; contracts.

In order to become a consumer under the Colorado River Irrigation Project electric power system, an application shall be made which becomes a contract upon the approval of the Officer in Charge. In general, services will be rendered to all applicants signing valid contracts where service lines exist. The Officer in Charge is authorized to reject applications where it does not appear that the rules and regulations in this part will be complied with, or when not to the interest of the United States. After 10 days from the issuance of a written notice to the consumer regarding failure to comply with these rules and regulations, the Officer in Charge may suspend or cancel the consumer's service contract. Negotiations for contracts involving special conditions or service

within town sites of record will be subject to approval by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

§ 231.5 Cash deposits.

A Cash Deposit or other form of guarantee in advance, in an amount of twice the estimated monthly bill, but not less than $50, will be required from all consumers except tribal, city, county, State, or Federal agencies. Where service to a consumer requires the construction of extensions beyond existing service lines, the consumer may be required by the Officer in Charge to deposit in advance an amount equal to one year's estimated billing.

[43 FR 6227, Feb. 28, 1978]

§ 231.6 Deposits returned.

The consumer's cash deposit, less the amount of any unpaid bills for electric service excepting the unused portion of deposits for extensions, will be returned to the consumer when service is discontinued by written order of the consumer.

§ 231.7 Extensions.

Except as provided in § 231.8, the construction of extensions within the limits of urban areas of single-phase circuits will not exceed 100 feet, and extensions of three-phase circuits will not exceed 80 feet, for each dollar of guaranteed monthly revenue. The construction of extensions in rural areas of single-phase circuits will not exceed 264 feet, and extensions of threephase circuits will not exceed 132 feet, for each dollar of guaranteed monthly revenue. Extensions will be constructed along existing rights-of-way insofar as practicable.

§ 231.8 Extensions beyond specified distance.

If extensions are desired beyond the distances specified in § 231.7, or if project funds are not available, prospective consumers may, after appropriate written agreement with the Officer in Charge, furnish or pay for such satisfactory line material and labor as may be necessary to construct the additional extension. The agreement may provide that part or all of the cost of the

§ 231.10 Measuring extensions.

In measuring an extension there shall be included all the primary distribution circuit which it is necessary to build and also the length of the secondary circuit, to the point of connection with the consumer's service. [41 FR 53320, Dec. 6, 1976]

§ 231.11 Rights-of-way.

Where there is no existing right-ofway or where no right-of-way has been acquired for such facilities, the consumer shall make or procure satisfactory conveyance to the United States of rights-of-way across all property necessary for the lines of the United States or incidental to the furnishing of service.

§ 231.12 Temporary service.

Temporary service refers to service to circuses, bazaars, fairs, construction works, and other business of such a nature that service on the premises will probably be discontinued within less than 1 year. Unless the payment of the cost is satisfactorily guaranteed, applicants for temporary service shall be required to deposit with the authorized collector a sum of money equal to the estimated net cost of installing and removing any facilities necessary in connection with furnishing such service, and also an additional sum approximately equal to the estimated bill for electric service: Provided, That if service is to continue for more than 2 months the said additional sum need not be greater than twice the estimated monthly bill. After serv

ice is discontinued, an account shall be rendered to the consumer and proper adjustment shall be made.

§ 231.13 Type of service.

(a) Service for lights and usual domestic and other appliances, including motors of less than 72 horsepower, will be single-phase, 120/240 volts, three wire, except when special approval for another type of service has been obtained from the Officer in Charge.

(b) Three-phase service at suitable voltage may be furnished for motor installations of 71⁄2 horsepower and over, providing a three-phase circuit and the required voltage can be provided at the point where the consumer desires service.

(c) All service will be 60-cycle.

(a) The consumer shall furnish and install the necessary service equipment in accordance with the following specifications:

(1) Service wires from the main line switch to the service entrance shall be encased in rigid steel conduit and shall be brought outside the building at a location most convenient to the lines of the United States. If brought out elsewhere, they shall be carried in rigid steel conduit to the point designated by the Officer in Charge. Service wires will not be carried over buildings to reach outlets where clearance of 8 feet for roofs less than one-fourth pitch, and 2 feet for roofs greater than one-fourth pitch, cannot be obtained. Outlets must be brought out at least 12 feet above the ground. If the consumer or his wiring contractor has any doubt as to the proper location for the service entrance, he should consult the Officer in Charge before the work is done.

(b) The ordinary method of connection with the street mains will be overhead wires. Consumers desiring the feed wires to run underground must run their own wires in approved conduit from the meter to the point where connection is to be made. Conduits on the consumer's service pole must be installed in a manner satisfactory to the officer in charge. Consumers desiring underground service ex

tensions to a pole owned by the Government will provide needed materials to be placed on the pole. All connections to Government owned facilities will be made by Government personnel. Conduits must be provided at the upper end with a suitable weatherproof fitting installed not more than 18 inches below the service drop. The conductors must be of such size that at full load the voltage drop from the point of attachment on the pole to the building entrance will not exceed 2 percent.

(c) Not more than one service will be installed to any one building, except as provided by the applicable codes and approved by the officer in charge.

[37 FR 16393, Aug. 12, 1972, as amended at 41 FR 53320, Dec. 6, 1976]

§ 231.15 Entrance wires, switch, and protection.

(a) All meters will be the socket type. The meter will be furnished and installed by the United States. The meter socket will be furnished and installed by the consumer in a suitable place approved by the officer in charge. All meter sockets shall meet Edison Electric Institute-Association of Edison Illuminating Companies and National Electrical Manufacturers Association standards. On installations where the meter socket is separated from the load center, the consumer shall install the service wires in metal conduit, approved by the National Electrical Code, to the load center. This load center must contain an automatic breaker or fuse disconnect switch of an approved size for the connected demand. An additional grouping of branch fused disconnects or circuit breakers must be installed serve lights, motors, or appliances as required by the National Electrical Code. The neutral wire shall not be fused.

to

(b) A main line entrance switch must be placed on the load side of the meter and adjacent thereto. This switch shall be fused on the load side of the switch or an automatic circuit breaker of approved type and capacity shall be installed. If fuses are used, they must be cartridge type when the voltage is

in excess of 150 volts to ground. The neutral wire shall not be fused.

(c) Entrance wires must be carried to the meter in approved conduit and so arranged that they can be connected to the line side of the meter, and the load wires to the load side without crossing the wires near the meter.

(d) In the case of multiple-occupancy installations such as an apartment building, a multiple use commercial building or other structure in which more than one meter is required, the meters shall be assembled at one central location. Each metered location shall be clearly marked so as to make it possible to identify each consumer. Each metered circuit shall have a separate fused disconnecting means or breaker located at a readily accessible point near the meter.

[41 FR 53320, Dec. 6, 1976]

§ 231.16 Location and installation of meters.

Meters will be furnished and installed by the United States. The consumer shall provide and maintain the necessary meter box or cabinet, switches, wiring, and text facilities. The locations of meters must be satisfactory to the Officer in Charge and in accordance with the following specifications:

(a) All meters must be located as near as possible to the point of entrance of the service, in a clean, dry, safe place, where they will be free from vibration.

(b) Meters must be in readily accessible locations so that the meter readers and test men may have access to the meters without inconveniencing the consumer. Location on an open porch or in an approved shelter on the outside of a building will be satisfactory. Under no circumstance will meters be installed in attics, sitting rooms, bathrooms, rest rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, or over stoves, sinks, tubs, doors, windows, or in any location where the visits of the meter reader or tester will cause annoyance to the consumer.

(c) No meter will be installed more than 61⁄2 feet nor less than 52 feet above the floor or working level. Meters must not be located above stairways, porch steps, basement entrances, nor in any place where a short

step ladder or chair cannot be safely placed for reaching the meter. For underground installation, meters will be placed on approved pedestals.

(d) Meter boards must be furnished by the consumer where meters are to be set on lath and plaster, concrete, brick, stone, metal, or uneven surfaces, or in other places where the meter cannot be conveniently supported directly on the wall or pole. Meter boards must be not less than threequarters of an inch thick, of sound wood, surfaced on all sides and of ample dimensions for the meters. They must be mounted in a substantial manner with their faces set truly vertical.

(e) A working space of not less than 36 inches must be provided and maintained in front of every meter and meter box.

(f) Where potential or current transformers, associated meter tests switches, and terminal blocks are required for use with a meter, ample provision shall be made by the consumer for their mounting in a suitable cabinet furnished by the consumer. A ground wire shall be provided.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) No load wires of any description shall be carried within the same conduit as the supply wires. Tampering or in any way interfering with a meter or its connections is prohibited. The entire service installation must be satisfactory to the officer in charge and must conform to the provisons of the National Electrical Code of the National Board of Fire Underwriters for Electrical Wiring and Apparatus.

(i) Customer's responsibility: The customer shall exercise reasonable care in protecting the Project's meter and other Project-owned equipment located on his premises. Only Project employees or agencies, or persons authorized by law, are permitted to inspect or handle same.

(j) Regularly scheduled meter tests shall be in accordance with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Code for Electric Metering.

(k) Special meter tests: On request of a customer, the Project should within 10 days after receipt of such request, make special meter tests. The customer shall bear the cost of such

tests, including meter removal and replacement when the meter is found to be within the limits of acceptable accuracy as defined in paragraphs (k) and (1) of this section. Such cost shall be a charge of $30. In all other cases, the Project will bear the cost of the test.

(1) Replacement of meter: Whenever a customer requests the replacement of the service meter because of accuracy, such request shall be treated as a request for a test of such meter and, as such, shall fall under the provision of special meter tests.

(m) Standard of meter accuracy: The Project shall not place in service, or knowingly allow to remain in service without adjustment, any meter that has known error in registration of more than plus or minus two percent at light or at full load and unity power factor, or more than plus or minus three percent at full load and fifty percent power factor.

(n) Adjustment for inaccurate meter registration: Whenever a tested meter in service is found to be fast or slow beyond the limit of accepted accuracy as defined, the Project shall make an adjustment, based on the corrected registration for the period in which the meter was registering incorrectly, if such period is known and if not known for a period of not exceeding six months, but in no event for a period longer than the present customer's occupancy. Whenever any bill or bills have been adjusted or corrected as provided above and whenever such adjustment amounts to $1 or more, the Project shall credit to the customer any amount found to have been collected in excess of the proper amount, or the Project may require the customer to pay any additional amount due, as the case may be.

(0) Incorrect meter installation: whenever any customer shall have been over-charged or under-charged as a result of incorrect installation of a meter or the use of an incorrect meter multiplier in billing the account, the amounf of the over-charge shall be adjusted and credited to the customer, if in excess of $1 or amount of the under-charged may be adjusted and billed to the customer if in excess of $5, provided that in no event shall

such period of adjustment exceed the length of time the service has been supplied to the customer through the incorrect metering installation at the present location.

[37 FR 16393, Aug. 12, 1972, as amended at 41 FR 53321, Dec. 6, 1976; 43 FR 6227, Feb. 14, 1978)

§ 231.17 Consumer responsible for equipment.

The consumer shall, at his own risk and expense, furnish, install, and keep in good and safe condition all electric wires, machinery, and apparatus which may be required for receiving electric energy from the United States, and for applying and utilizing such energy, including all necessary protective devices.

§ 231.18 Change of consumer's equipment.

In the event the consumer shall make any appreciable load change either in the amount or character of the electric lamps, appliances, machinery, or apparatus installed upon his premises, he shall immediately give the Officer in Charge written notice thereof.

§ 231.19 Apparatus detrimental to service.

(a) The Officer in Charge may refuse to supply loads of a character that may seriously impair service to other consumers. He may require the consumer to provide suitable equipment to limit load fluctuations.

(b) All motors shall be provided with suitable starting devices or apparatus to limit their starting current. Motors of 15 h.p. and above shall be equipped with sufficient capacitance to maintain a minimum power factor of 90 percent.

(c) The Officer in Charge may discontinue electric service to any consumer who shall continue to use appliances or apparatus detrimental to the service after he has been notified to correct the condition and has failed to do so within a prescribed time.

§ 231.20 Wiring standards.

(a) All wiring and electrical apparatus on consumers' premises shall be installed in accordance with and conform to standards as prescribed by ap