New Service & Line Extension

Considering Building a New Home or Office?

If you are purchasing property and want to develop it, please give the office a call and speak with our Operations Department. We will meet with you at your property site, answer questions you may have, explain to you what your responsibilities are, offer some suggestions, and work up a line extension agreement on your costs. Also, contact our Energy Services program to learn about various incentives for new construction you may qualify for.

Clatskanie PUD Draft Easement Form (PDF). (This is an example of the Easement Form that we will need. Please contact our operations department for assistance with this form.)

Clatskanie PUD New Service or Upgrade

Residential Service (PDF)

Commercial/Large Residential (PDF)

CLATSKANIE PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT
LINE EXTENSION POLICY
POLICY #104
September 2020

  1. POLICY

Within the means and ability of Clatskanie People’s Utility District (“District”), it is the policy to extend electrical service to residential, commercial, and industrial loads in all areas located within the District’s service territory. The District shall make electrical extensions, upon request and payment, according to applicable fee schedules, from all locations where adequate capacity is available for the load requested. The District shall have final determination and sole discretion in determining the most viable electrical line extension capacity and route.

  1. DEFINITIONS

Application/Design Fee – The fee paid by the customer to cover the cost of designing the service.

Applicable Regulations – All District facilities falling under this procedure shall comply with any applicable law, the National Electric Code (“NEC”), National Electric Safety Code (“NESC”), and all applicable District Construction Standards and Service Requirements.

Area Light – An un-metered exterior light fixture installed on District facilities and maintained by the District. An Area Light agreement is required to be signed by the customer.

Clearing – The removal of trees and objects to provide the necessary corridor for electrical facilities. Line extension fees do not include these costs. Clearing is to be performed by the applicant to District standards or by the District under separate agreement.

CT Metering or CT Service – Utility metering that measures and monitors the levels of electrical usage proportionally by using current transformers (“CT”). CT meters are typically used for services in excess of four hundred (400) amperes.

District Easement – Legal document granting the District the right to use and occupy private property.

Electric Services Installation Requirements – A set of requirements for the configuration and location of customer installed and owned facilities. These District “Electric Service Installation Requirements” are published in a separate document and available upon request.

Idle Services – District services which have been de-energized and for which the “Base Charge” has not been paid for a period of thirty-six (36) months. Services which are requested to be removed by the owner will be removed at no cost but will require signed approval for removal from the owner.

Late Comer – A customer who requests connection to a section of Primary Distribution Facilities which was previously requested and paid for by another customer as part of their line extension.

Multi-Dwelling – A structure intended to house multiple families or a business that has multiple meter bases grouped in one location. The utility connection point for the grouped services must be singular or arranged in such a fashion that all utility connections can be made within three (3) feet of one another.

Primary Distribution Facilities – Electrical distribution facilities owned by the District and operated at voltages above 600 volts.

Relocation – A request submitted by a customer that would require the District to move and/or alter existing facilities.

Right-of-Way – The corridor necessary for facilities to maintain access and keep clear of hazards. The width of the corridor shall be ten (10) feet extending on each side of facility centerline.

Secondary Facilities – Electrical facilities owned by the District and operated at voltages below 600 volts.

Service Cost – The total cost of providing the requested line extension which includes District labor, materials, and overhead costs.

Service Upgrade – An alteration to an existing electrical service requested by the customer being serviced that causes the District to alter or reconfigure the existing facilities.

Street Light – Lighting available to municipal and public agency customers of the District that provide public lighting.

Subdivisions or Development – A tract or parcel of land divided into two or more lots, sites, or other divisions.

Temporary or Construction Service – An installation that is deemed temporary in nature requiring service for a period of six (6) months or less.

  1. GENERAL RULES

  2. Line extensions will be from Primary Distribution Facilities. Modifications to transmission facilities or substations are not considered line extensions for the purposes of this Line Extension Policy and require special contract arrangements.
  3. Ownership of Facilities – All facilities installed by the District, including the meter, shall remain the property of the District. Any conduit installed by the customer pursuant to paragraph 11 of Section C of this Line Extension Policy will automatically convert to and remain the property of the District. The point of delivery of electricity shall be at the termination lugs in the meter base for underground installations and the service wire terminations outside of the mast head for overhead installations unless otherwise agreed to between the customer and the District. The customer is responsible for providing and installing the meter base and mast head when applicable.
  4. To the extent practical, District facilities will be built along public Right-of-Ways and will be immediately adjacent to all-season roads to facilitate maintenance.
  5. The District will obtain the applicable Right-of-Way permits to extend and install District facilities from within the Right-of-Way to the meter, except as otherwise provided in this Line Extension Policy. The customer is responsible for obtaining all applicable electrical permits from the electrical authority having jurisdiction for the meter base and electrical system beyond the meter base, including a legible inspection sticker on the meter base. The District will not energize a new service or re-energize an existing service without a legible approved inspection sticker placed on the meter base by the electrical authority having jurisdiction.
  6. Customers must provide to the District a District Easement for each property that the line extension crosses or is installed upon. Each individual or entity whose name appears as owner of the property will be required to sign the District Easement, which must be notarized. Notary service for these easements is available at the District’s office at no charge. If property other than the customer’s is involved, it will be the customer’s responsibility to obtain approval of District Easements over these other properties from the other property owner(s). In the absence of a District Easement, the customer agrees to grant the District an easement ten (10) feet on either side of all services installed by the District in consideration of the District providing electric service.
  7. Right-of-Way Clearing – The fee schedules do not include the cost of Right-of-Way Clearing. Overhead lines necessitate a minimum cleared corridor twenty (20) feet in width. The customer will be responsible for the completion of the Right-of-Way Clearing prior to the District’s commencing the work. The District will endeavor to design the line with minimum clearing requirements.
  8. Service Installation Fees and Charges are listed in Exhibit A and are calculated based on the District’s previous actual connection costs and may be updated from time to time by the District in its sole discretion.
    • The secondary service line extension base charge includes up to the first fifty (50) feet of Secondary Service.
    • There is an additional per foot cost for secondary service line extensions beyond fifty (50) feet.
    • Secondary service line extensions are limited to two hundred (200) feet from existing Primary Distribution Facilities. Requests for secondary service line extensions that are in excess of two hundred (200) feet from existing Primary Distribution Facilities will require that a primary line extension be constructed prior to the installation of the secondary service at applicant’s cost.
    • There is a transformer charge for the installation of a new transformer or new permanent service connection to an existing transformer. The transformer charge does not apply to transformer upgrades.

  1. The District will provide a New Service Incentive to the first service installed on each individual tax lot. The amount of the New Service Incentive will be set by the District Board of Directors and is listed in Exhibit A below. The amount of the New Service Incentive will be deducted from the Service Cost. For services which will be made permanent, this incentive may be applied to the cost of the temporary service or permanent service, but not both. The New Service Incentive will only be applied to Rate Schedule 10 and Rate Schedule 20 services.
  2. Abnormal Conditions – The fees and charges listed in Exhibit A are intended to reflect the District’s actual costs for line extensions constructed by normal construction means and methods. If the District determines in its sole reasonable discretion that abnormal conditions exist that may cause construction to be more difficult, the fees and charges listed in Exhibit A will not apply. Abnormal conditions include, but are not limited to, difficult terrain, environmental concerns, excessive rock, non-standard voltages or equipment, special permits, hydrography considerations, etc. Upon such determination by the District, engineering design staff will provide the Service Cost based upon the projected materials and labor to complete the project under the abnormal conditions. The District shall have sole authority and final determination of the applicability of the schedules and the cost estimates for construction when it is determined that the fees and charges listed in Exhibit A do not apply.
  3. Underground Trenching – The fees and charges listed in Exhibit A do not include the cost of trenching for primary, secondary, and equipment installations. The customer will be required to provide trenching of adequate depth and width per the District’s “Electric Service Installation Requirements” for all secondary, primary, and equipment installations. The District will not make corrections for settling, landscaping, etc. of the trenched area. Moreover, the District will not energize an electric service until the customer completely backfills the underground trench. The trench must be inspected by the District prior to backfill.
  4. Conduit Installation – The fees and charges listed in Exhibit A include the cost of conduit installation. The customer will have the option of providing and installing the conduit for underground secondary service installations only at a cost reduction shown in Exhibit A. The conduit must be installed in accordance with the District “Electric Service Installation Requirements.” Primary conduit and equipment foundations will be installed by the District.

Note: The trench and conduit must be inspected and approved by the District prior to the installation of services. If the trench and conduit do not meet District “Electric Service Installation Requirements” the customer will be required to correct any deficiencies before installation of services.

  1. Subdivisions, Developments, Industrial Parks, Mobile Home Parks, and RV Parks – As a condition of service, developers of lots or parcels platted as Subdivisions, Developments, or RV Parks that intend to provide the lots or parcels with access to electric power must install, at a minimum, a primary electrical backbone system in the project designed to provide every lot or parcel the option to connect into the Primary Distribution Facilities under the terms and conditions of the District’s Line Extension Policy. The developer shall pay for the complete cost of the backbone system, as designed by the District, in full and in accordance with the District’s standard labor and material rates. The District will provide an estimate of these costs to the developer for planning purposes. The developer must pay the estimated cost prior to the commencement of construction. In the event the estimated cost exceeds the actual cost, the District will rebate the difference to the developer. In the event the actual cost exceeds the estimated cost, the developer will be required to remit to the District the balance, as invoiced, prior to the backbone system’s being energized and made available for electrical connections by lot owners.

The Application/Design Fee for a Subdivision or Development of any kind will be $100.00 per lot. Any re-engineering of a Subdivision or Development of any kind which may be required will be an additional $100.00 per lot.

  1. Service Upgrades and Relocations – The District will alter services to accommodate customer Service Upgrade or Relocation requirements in accordance with these Rules, Fees, and Charges with the following exceptions;
    • No “New Service Incentive” will be provided.
    • Transformer upgrades will be charged based on the material cost difference of the new transformer cost and the value of the existing transformer being removed, plus the labor cost of removal and installation.
    • The cost of removal of existing services will be added to the Service Cost of the Service Upgrade.
  1. Temporary or Construction Service – The customer shall be required to pay, in advance, the Service Cost of installing and removing facilities to provide Temporary or Construction Service regardless of whether or not a new customer is connected. If a permanent service is subsequently installed at the same location, the cost of installation will be calculated from the point of the useful portion of the Temporary or Construction Service. The fees and charges for Temporary or Construction Service listed in Exhibit A are for overhead temporary services with a maximum distance of fifty (50) feet from the nearest pole or underground temporary services with a maximum distance of fifty (50) feet from the nearest pole or underground facility. Temporary or Construction Services that are beyond the lengths listed above or that require additional facilities to support the electric load of the temporary service require a custom cost estimate for installation and removal of such facilities.
  2. Any customer installed facilities, including conduit and the meter base, must meet all Electric Service Installation Requirements and Applicable Regulations and must be approved by the applicable electrical inspector prior to connection of services.|
  3. Premises where Idle Services have been removed for longer than twelve (12) months, and where the customer wants service re-established, will be treated as a new customer and given a New Service Incentive.|
  4. Late Comer policy – Where a customer installs and pays for Primary Distribution Facilities pursuant to this Policy, the District will not provide a rebate to the customer for Late Comers who subsequently connect to any portion of the Primary Distribution Facilities. Prospective customers are encouraged to include all other potential current or future consumers in sharing the cost of the primary line extension equally. All fees must be collected prior to commencing work for the installation of Primary Distribution Facilities.
  5. Changes to Loads – If a customer increases their electric load to the extent that the District’s facilities are not adequate to serve such load, the customer is required to pay the costs of upgrading District facilities. It is the customer’s responsibility to notify the District well in advance of adding additional load to allow sufficient time to upgrade the facilities. If a customer fails to notify the District or uses the added load before the District can upgrade its facilities, and the District’s facilities are damaged as a result thereof, the customer will be responsible for payment for such damage in addition to the cost of upgrading the service.
  6. LINE EXTENSION PROCESS

  7. Each customer requesting a line extension or new, upgraded, or relocated service must first complete and submit the following;
    • An Application for Service.
    • A fully completed Electrical Service Installation Application.
    • A copy of the property deed(s) for the location of the requested service (for use in creating District Easements).
    • Payment of the applicable Application/Design fee. If the customer requests a subsequent re-design of the service, the District will charge an additional Application/Design fee.
  1. The applicant, or authorized representative, must make an appointment with the District’s engineering design staff to meet on-site to determine the optimum service location.
  2. The District will prepare and submit, by first class mail, a letter of acceptance for the Service Cost, a District Easement when applicable, and a description of the service to be installed. All forms must be completed, notarized where applicable, and returned with a check or money order for the full amount stated in the letter of acceptance before any work will commence. The Service Cost provided is valid for ninety (90) days.
  3. In the event that the customer does not provide the necessary documents and payment to the District within ninety (90) days after receipt of the letter of acceptance, the customer must pay an additional application/design fee and will receive an updated Service Cost which will include any cost increases incurred by the District. If the customer cancels the application for service or fails to pay for a renewed application/design fee within ninety (90) days after receipt of the letter of acceptance, the District may cancel the application for service. Application/Design Fees are non-refundable.
  4. The District will complete the installation of equipment and service upon receipt of the following (if applicable): all required forms, District Easements, payment, Right-of-Way permits, trench and conduit inspection approval, and legible electrical inspection sticker.
  5. The District will contact the customer to schedule required inspections and installation of District facilities.

        Approval & Review

Approved by the Board:          06/20/2018

Date Revised:                              09/16/2020