Section III – Use & Responsibility of Natural Gas Service
A. Use of Natural Gas
The Cooperative will operate its natural gas system in compliance with the rules and regulations set forth in DOT 49CFR, Part 192, and any applicable local codes.
The Cooperative or the Cooperatives Authorized Agent are the only entities authorized to turn the gas service on at any location.
The natural gas supplied by the Cooperative is for the exclusive use of the Member on the premises to which such energy is delivered by the Cooperative. Service shall not be shared with another, sold to another or transmitted off the premises unless approved by the Cooperative. If this restriction is violated, the Cooperative reserves the right to discontinue service without notice.
The Cooperative’s major supply of natural gas is received from interstate and intrastate pipeline suppliers. Heating value and specific gravity of gases received from the suppliers varies between delivery points and from day to day. These variations are beyond the control of the Cooperative which can only dispatch the gases received.
The Member’s natural gas equipment shall be operated and controlled so as not to cause disturbances on the Cooperative’s system or to be detrimental to the service furnished by other Members of the Cooperative.
No member shall attach or use any appliance which may result in the injection of air, water or other foreign matter into the Cooperative’s lines and, without prior approval from the Cooperative, no member shall attach or use any appliance which will increase or decrease the pressure in the Cooperative’s lines intermittently to such extent as to interfere with continuous service to other members.
B. Member Responsibility
The member is responsible for the maintenance of all gas piping from the gas meter to all appliances.
Buried gas piping which is not maintained may be subject to the potential hazards of corrosion and leakage.
For your safety, all buried piping should be periodically inspected for leaks. If the buried piping is metallic, it should also be periodically inspected for corrosion.
If an unsafe condition is found, the gas piping will need to be promptly repaired.
To Obtain Help: Plumbers and heating contractors can assist in locating, inspecting and repairing member’s buried piping.
The Member shall be responsible for notifying the Cooperative of any plans for adding any additional load to the facilities of the Cooperative. The Cooperative will evaluate the existing regulator and meter to determine if they will need to be changed out.
Excavation and One-Call Requirements
- By state law, before any excavation begins, Members or their Contractors are required to follow the State’s one-call procedure. Members/Contractors can familiarize themselves with the requirements of the procedure by contacting Ohio 811/OUPS at 1-800-362-2764 or the www.OUPS.org website.
- To simplify the “Call Before You Dig” calling process, Members/Contractors can call 8-1-1 to route their call to Ohio811/OUPS or enter a ticket on-line via the OUPS.org website. By law, excavators must contact OUPS at least 48 hours prior to excavation. Be aware that private member owned private lines will not be marked as a result of contacting 811. Members need to make arrangements to have their own facilities marked by a contractor of their choice.
The Member shall be responsible at all times for the safekeeping of all Cooperative property installed on the Member’s premises and to that end shall give no one, except authorized Cooperative employees, access to such property.
The Member shall be liable for the cost of repairs or damage to the Cooperative’s property on the Member’s premises resulting from the negligence of, or misuse by the member or any party other than Cooperative employees. In the event of damage to the Cooperative’s property on the Member’s premises, the Cooperative may require a reasonable security deposit to ensure payment for repairs in the event of future damage.
Members shall not construct, install, or permit the construction or installation of any building, structure, enclosure, fence, wall, deck, landscaping, or other improvement that encloses, obstructs, restricts access to, or otherwise interferes with Cooperative owned equipment. Cooperative equipment must remain fully accessible at all times for operation, inspection, maintenance, repair, replacement, and emergency response.
Any enclosure or construction installed without the prior written approval of the Cooperative shall be subject to removal or modification at the Member’s sole expense. The Cooperative reserves the right to require the relocation of Cooperative facilities or the Member’s facilities, at the Member’s expense, if access is restricted or if the installation creates a safety concern. The Cooperative may disconnect service without notice if such construction or enclosure presents a hazard to Cooperative personnel, the Member, the public, or the natural gas system.
Members shall not install or construct buildings, structures, signs, flagpoles, light standards, antennas, aerials, or similar items over the Cooperative’s facilities. All installations must allow for safe maintenance of the facilities in accordance with DOT 49CFR, Part 192, Public Utility Commission of Ohio, and all other codes and standards.
- TAMPERING, ACCESS, AND RIGHT OF ENTRY
Members will be held responsible for tampering with, interfering with meters, or other Cooperative equipment installed on the Member’s premises. The member hereby agrees that no one except the employees of the Cooperative shall be allowed to make any internal or external adjustments of any meter or any other piece of apparatus which is the property of the cooperative.The Cooperative shall have the right during regular working hours and in emergencies to enter the premises of the consumer for the purpose of installing, reading, removing, testing, replacing or otherwise disposing of the apparatus and property, and the right of entire removal of the cooperative’s property in the event of the termination of the contract for any cause. The Member will keep the area where the Cooperative’s apparatus and property are located free from obstruction, danger and/or safety hazards. The Cooperative maintains the right to request the relocation of the members’ service at the expense of the Member. The Cooperative’s agent will, upon request, show credentials and state the reasons for requiring access. - LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Cooperative shall not in any event be liable for loss injury or damage to any person or property whatsoever, resulting directly or indirectly from the Member’s use, misuse, equipment, or presence of the said natural gas on the Member’s premises or elsewhere, after it passes the Cooperative’s metering equipment; or for any loss or damage resulting from the presence of said natural gas. The Cooperative retains all responsibility only with respect to the actions of its employees in connection with property owned by the Cooperative. - CONSTRUCTION CREW TRIP CHARGE
When a Member requests a service installation and confirms that the site is ready for the Cooperative to perform the work, but a construction crew is dispatched and is unable to proceed because the site is not ready, inaccessible, unsafe, or otherwise not prepared in accordance with Cooperative requirements, the Member may be assessed a Construction Crew Trip Charge.Conditions that may result in this charge include, but are not limited to:- Member facilities or equipment are incomplete or not compliant with Cooperative standards.
- Member-installed equipment is not installed or is improperly installed.
- Access to the service location is restricted, including locked gates or blocked work areas.
- The service location is not clearly identified or marked.
- The work site is unsafe for crew access or operation.
This Charge is intended to recover costs associated with mobilizing personnel, vehicles, and equipment. The applicable charge will be assessed in accordance with the Cooperative’s Schedule of Fees and Charges in effect at the time of the trip.
C. Meter Accuracy:
The Cooperative will maintain an accuracy of its meters of plus or minus three percent in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code. The Cooperative, by employees or its agents, may visit the service and visually read the meter as deemed necessary by the Cooperative.
A meter registering between three percent (3%) fast and three percent (3%) slow of accurate as determined by testing, shall be deemed to be registering correctly. A meter registering incorrectly shall be repaired or replaced by the Cooperative at its expense.
At the request of any member, the Cooperative shall have their meter tested, and, if so
desired, in their presence, with a certified and sealed meter prover. If the meter is found to be correct, as above defined, the member shall be charged all applicable fees as defined in Schedule of Charges. If the meter is found to be incorrect, as above defined, the member shall not be charged any fees. The date of re-inspection shall be stamped on the meter or recorded. If the member desires another test within twenty-four (24) months of the last reinspection, member must deposit a sum covering all applicable fees for the re-inspection before same shall be conducted. Such deposit shall be refunded if meter registration is found incorrect or will be retained by the Cooperative if no defect is found.
D. Estimated Bills
On occasion, the Cooperative will have a need to estimate member bills. Estimates for a service will be based on past use or the most appropriate use information available to the Cooperative.
E. Idle Services:
Any service that has been disconnected for a period longer than 90 days will be classified as abandoned and is considered an Idle Service. The Cooperative will attempt to contact the property owner to determine the future need for natural gas service when services have been disconnected and left idle. The Cooperative, at its discretion, may remove the idle natural gas facilities. If an idle service is removed and service is requested in the future at that location, the request will be treated as a new service. All costs associated with the installation of the new service will be calculated in accordance with the line extension policy in effect at the time of the request.
F. High Demand Equipment:
If interested in using high-demand equipment such as on demand water heaters, pool heaters or other such equipment, it is recommended to contact the Cooperative to understand the impact of these installations. At times, a contribution in aid of construction may be required.