These Service Requirements establish the conditions, rates, and terms under which electrical and related services may be provided by United Electric Co-op, Inc. (Cooperative) to its Members. These Service Requirements and the Cooperative’s Bylaws, as may be amended, constitute a legally enforceable and binding contract between a Member and the Cooperative.
1.1 Membership Application. Applicants for service must apply for membership with the Cooperative. Membership is required in order to receive service. There is a one-time membership fee of $100. The membership fee may be paid at the time of application for membership or included on the first Installment payments may be made at the rate of $20 per month, plus a $5 finance charge which will be included with the first installment billing.
1.2 Providing Service. The Cooperative shall provide electric power per the Cooperative’s specifications to a single Service Point as determined by the Cooperative, in its discretion, in accordance with these Service Requirements guidelines. The Service Point means the point where the Cooperative’s electric distribution service connects with the outside disconnect of the Member owned facilities. In the case where the interconnection with a Member has several services from the interconnection point (e.g. barn, shop, yard light, garage, etc.), the Service Point is the service to the Member’s principle electric For a residential service this is typically the residence.
Outside disconnects are required at each Service Point. Services that are upgraded, moved, or modified in any manner will generally require that an outside disconnect be installed; however, this requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Cooperative.
1.3 Service Point Determination. The Cooperative will work with the Member in determining the Service Point; however, the Cooperative has the exclusive discretion to determine the location of any point of interconnection between the facilities of the Cooperative and the Member. The Cooperative will take into consideration safety, cost, and convenience to the Cooperative and to the Member in determining the Service
1.4 Facilities of the Cooperative. The Cooperative shall provide electric facilities, at its cost, to the public right-of-way immediately adjacent to a Member’s property or entrance to a subdivision.
1.5 Extension of Facilities. The Member shall pay, as determined by the Cooperative, aid to construction for all electric facilities from the public right-of-way to the Service Point as may be requested by the
- A written agreement shall be entered into between Member and the Cooperative for all costs of construction for electric facilities under terms and conditions approved by the Board of The Cooperative has no obligation to construct facilities beyond the public right-of-way unless by written agreement with a Member pursuant to the provisions of these Service Requirements.
- Three phase transformers will be assessed a charge of $25 per kilovolt-ampere (kVA), as determined by the Cooperative
- Single phase transformers will be assessed a charge of $500 for overhead or pad-mounted installations, as determined by the Cooperative.
- Member may provide trenching and backfill per specifications of the Cooperative.
- Facilities utilized by two or more Members shall be paid for by each Member in accordance with an individual Member’s proportionate use of such This charge will be determined by the Cooperative.
- The cost of equipment and facilities to provide electric service to residential or commercial subdivisions shall be the responsibility of the subdivision developer. The Cooperative reserves the right to determine the terms and conditions under which it will provide electrical and related services within a
1.6 Electrical Interconnection Requirements. All federal, state and local government electrical wiring requirements for new, modified, or any other type service must be complied with prior to interconnection with facilities of the
Member facilities on the load side of the Service Point will be constructed per the National Electrical Code and any other applicable local, state, or federal requirements. The Cooperative will require that the Member or licensed electrical contractor provide proof of electrical inspection in accordance with the laws of the State of Idaho prior to interconnection. Services that have been de-energized for one year or more will require proof of electrical inspection prior to interconnection. The Member is responsible for the selection, installation, and maintenance of all electrical equipment and wiring on the load side of the Service Point.
If the Member requests and if the Cooperative agrees to construct any facilities on the load side of the Service Point, the Member shall pay, as determined by the Cooperative, for all related construction expenses, including but not limited to, materials, equipment, and labor, to additional facilities (e.g. barn, shop, yard light, garage, etc.) as may be requested by the Member.
1.7 Rights-of-Way and Easements for Facilities. As determined by the Cooperative, Members shall, without cost to the Cooperative, grant a right-of-way or easement for Cooperative facilities across or on property owned and controlled by a Member for the purpose of supplying electrical power and related services to the The right-of-way or easement shall be granted by the property owner to the Cooperative in an agreement that shall be recorded with the applicable County Recorder. The Cooperative will not extend facilities on private property unless it has a right-of-way or easement from the owner of the property.
The Cooperative shall at all times have the right of ingress and egress to the right-of-way or easement for the full and complete use thereof. The Cooperative shall also have the right to remove all obstructions that in any manner interfere with the use of the right-of-way or easement and which may interfere with the use and occupation thereof, including, but not limited to, fences, shrubs, brush, trees, structures, and equipment.
1.8 Ownership and Maintenance of Facilities. The Cooperative will own and maintain, under standards, specifications, and requirements as determined by the Cooperative, electric facilities extended beyond the public right-of-way to the Service Point that are constructed pursuant to a member’s contribution in aid of construction unless otherwise
The Member will own and maintain electric facilities to additional facilities (e.g. barn, shop, yard light, garage, etc.) other than the Service Point. At the request of the Member, the Cooperative may perform the maintenance for Member owned facilities at the cost of the Member.
1.9 Facility Upgrades. Upgrades of existing facilities shall be provided for by the Cooperative under standards, specifications, and requirements as determined by the Cooperative. The costs of such upgrades, when requested by a Member, shall be paid for by the Member under terms and conditions approved by the Board of Directors. The Member shall provide advanced notice to the Cooperative prior to making significant changes to the amount of electrical consumption or prior to changing the electrical character of the electrical load at a service location. Advance notice provides the Cooperative time to determine if changes are required to service facilities or to the distribution
1.10 Relocation of Facilities. Relocation of existing facilities, regardless of whether such facilities are located on a Member’s property or on a public right-of-way, shall be provided for by the Cooperative under standards, specifications, and requirements as determined by the Cooperative. The costs of such relocation, when requested by a Member, shall be paid for by the Member under terms and conditions approved by the Board of
1.11 Unused or Idle Services. The Cooperative reserves the right to remove any facilities that have not been used for one year. Generally, services may remain unused or idle for 12 months. After 12 months, the Member will be assessed the Customer Charge for the following 12 months or the service will be removed.
- February of each year, the Cooperative will notify in writing Members with services that have been unused or idle for the previous 12
- Beginning with the April billing cycle, unused or idle services will be assessed the monthly Customer Charge for the applicable rate class for the following 12
- The Cooperative will remove unused or idle services at the request of a Member at no charge. Once an unused or idle service is removed, provisions of Section 1.5 Extension of Facilities and Section 1.12 Irrigation Pump Connections and Moves will apply.
1.12 Irrigation Pump Connections and Moves
Members shall pay the Cooperative for all irrigation pumps moved at the request of the Member. The required payment shall be for the actual cost of such requested move or $1,500.00 whichever is less.
- Member is responsible for aid to construction under terms of Section 5 Extension of Facilities.
1.13 Interruption and Fluctuation of Service. Electric service is inherently subject to occasional interruption, suspension, curtailment, and fluctuation. It is the responsibility of the Member to provide power conditioning devices that may be required to protect their equipment. The Cooperative will have no liability to its Members or any other person for any interruptions, suspension, curtailment, or fluctuation in service, or for any loss or damage caused thereby except as may be caused by acts or failure to act by the Cooperative. Members specifically indemnify, release from claim, and hold harmless the Cooperative from liability in such circumstances.
1.14 Power Factor Correction. All 3-phase electric motors of 10 horsepower or larger, installed after April 1, 2014, are required to have a motor capacitor installed with sufficient capacity to meet the requirements of the Cooperative. The capacitor must be installed in a manner so as to be switched off when the motor is not being used. Failure to install capacitors that meet the requirements of the Cooperative will result in a power factor penalty under terms and conditions approved by the Board of Directors.
1.15 Power Quality and Harmonics. The Cooperative is obligated to its Members to provide quality electric service. Limiting harmonics, transients, flickers, and other power quality issues improves power quality. The Member shall not allow harmonic voltage or distortion on the Member load side to exceed a level that will adversely affect the reliable distribution of electric energy of the Cooperative, including adversely affecting equipment and devices of the distribution system of the Cooperative and/or the membership. The latest revision of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 519 will be used as guide for allowable limits of harmonic
- The Cooperative requires the installation of harmonic filtration devices for all services with harmonic producing equipment prior to The Cooperative reserves the right to refuse interconnection if harmonic filtration is not installed.
- If a Member’s load causes harmonic distortion that causes undue interference and damage on the distribution system of the Cooperative or exceeds acceptable levels as determined by the Cooperative, the Member shall mitigate the problem by use of filters, reactors, or other recommendations of the manufacturer of the harmonic producing equipment. It is the discretion of the Engineering Department of the Cooperative to determine if the filtration devices are adequate.
- The Cooperative will notify in writing the Member whose equipment is the origin of the harmonic
- The Member shall have 90 days from such notice to remedy the cause of the harmonic
- Failure of the Member to remedy the cause of harmonic disturbance within 90 days from the notice shall be authority for United Electric to disconnect service to the Member.
1.16 Interference with Service. The Cooperative reserves the right to refuse to supply electrical and related services to any load of a character that may impair service to other Members. The Cooperative may disconnect services that fail to remedy power quality issues. The Cooperative has sole discretion to determine if adequate devices are installed to prevent power quality
1.17 Limitation on Attachments to Facilities. Attachments of any kind shall not be affixed to the Cooperative’s facilities by Members or anyone else without specific written authorization. The Cooperative may, pursuant to a written agreement, allow attachments to its facilities for purposes of mutual benefit to the Members of the
1.18 Limitation of Use of Service. A Member may not resell electrical power or related services purchased from the Cooperative without the written consent of the Board of
1.19 Net Metering. Net metering and small generation interconnections will be considered on a case by case basis under separate
1.20 The provisions of these Service Requirements are effective July 25, 2022.