Definitions and Plans
Contribution In Aid of Construction (CIAC) - The cost a developer/customer is expected to advance for a line extension and must be paid prior to the extension being installed. The CIAC does not give the customer ownership rights in any facilities constructed with these funds.
Electric Line Extension - a permanent branch, addition, continuation, or replacement of the District’s existing electric distribution system as required to serve a proposed customer load (does not include contractual service as defined in section 37). It is the District’s intent to serve new permanent residential, commercial, and industrial customers in all areas adjacent to existing facilities of the District.
Original Customer - A customer who pays the CIAC for a new line extension.
Plans - The developer/customer shall furnish plot plans of the project area being developed, including structures, grade, streets, parking areas, water mains, sewer mains, landscaping, location of other utility services, estimate of electrical load and desired schedule for service. Prior to commencing work all easements and permits for the facilities must be executed and on file with the District. All conduits, sweeps and installation thereof must meet the District’s construction standards. Final designs will be approved by the District.
Primary Line Extensions – Commence at a tap point on the District’s present electrical facilities and generally pass by or terminate at transformers. Primary extensions may also include relocation of existing electrical facilities.
Secondary Service Extensions – Are residential, irrigation, and commercial electrical extensions commencing at a power transformer and terminating at the customer meter base or weatherhead. Secondary services are generally no longer than 200 feet in total length from a transformer.
Subsequent Customer - Is a customer who requests a connection from an existing electric line within five years of construction, but has not yet participated in paying for the installation cost of the line extension. Services in residential areas and property developers do not qualify as Subsequent Customers.
Extension Cost
Based on the developer/customer approved Plans a CIAC will be calculated. The CIAC is determined by the following:
1. Secondary Service Extension – Applicable to overhead and underground services. Includes the transformer, secondary conductor, service poles, handholes, meter and associated equipment. CIAC cost will be calculated using the following formulas:
Single Phase Amps X $ 3.75 = CIAC
Three Phase Amps X $ 7.00 = CIAC
2. Primary Service Extension – Includes costs to install facilities and capacity necessary to serve primary voltage to all areas proposed for development. The costs include primary cable, vaults including some secondary handholes, switches and associated equipment. Costs may also include relocation of existing electrical facilities and charges necessary for reliability or future customer expansion.
a. Based on the developer/customer approved plans the District will provide an estimated CIAC cost for all primary service extension components.
b. Each primary extension will be assessed a capacity and facilities charge as follows:
1. Residential $1,500 per housing unit and $162.50 per housing unit, per mile from a District substation.
2. Commercial, Industrial and Apartment Buildings
c. Irrigation and frost control services are either off peak loads or are already restricted under the rate schedule provisions and would not be assessed a capacity and facilities charge. Any rebuild costs, however, will be included in the CIAC assigned to serve the customer.
d. Developers that extend primary line in rural areas will not be charged a facility and capacity charge if the residential lot size is 20 acres or more.
3. Underground Line Requirements - Distribution facilities to serve new areas will normally be placed underground. The District reserves the exclusive right to determine if overhead or underground facilities will be installed. For underground installations the following apply:
a. The customer shall provide and install conduit for service, secondary and primary cable and shall provide necessary trenching, bedding, and backfilling for such installation all in accordance with plans and specifications furnished by the District. The District shall provide and install conduit and vaults located in existing City, County or State right-of-way.
b. Developers and customers requesting installation of new power facilities for industrial, commercial and residential loads will be required to install District provided communication conduit. The customer shall provide necessary trenching, bedding and backfilling for such installation in accordance with plans and specifications furnished by the District and approved on the developer’s construction Plans.
c. For commercial or industrial loads supplied from 3-phase padmounted transformers requiring current transformer metering, the customer shall furnish, own and maintain the underground service conductors, which will be connected by the District to the secondary terminals of the District's transformer or secondary junction. A maximum of six conductors per phase will be allowed for connection to the transformer. If more than six conductors are required, a secondary junction may be required. The customer shall provide a concrete foundation for the padmount transformer as required by the District.
d. The owner or developer shall provide property corner stakes and final grade information necessary for the District to determine trench locations and trench excavation depths prior to trench excavation. The District shall not be responsible for lost or removed markers.
Subsequent Customers
The first three subsequent customers who desire permanent service connections to existing line extensions shall pay a prorated share of any original primary CIAC, based on line feet. To qualify for a refund as an Original Customer: 1 the original cost of the primary CIAC must be greater than $ 5,000 2. the line must have been placed in service within the last five years. Line extension refunds will only be made to the original customer(s), who must be continuously on record as a customer at said location.
Other
Facilities installed by the developer/customer must be inspected and approved by the District before they are placed in service (includes fiber optic conduit).
Any changes to the electrical system required in the District's opinion because of changes in final grade or property lines shall be at the expense of the owner or developer.
The customer or developer will be held responsible for damage to conduit, electric conductors, communication infrastructure or other equipment resulting from any dig-ins on his property.
The developer shall pay all costs to relocate District facilities when road improvements are made as a requirement of the development.
Applications on one continuous line may be grouped if to the mutual advantage of all applicants for service.
Cost shall be revised if construction is delayed by customer for more than sixty days and related payment and extension agreements will be revised accordingly.
Construction of the line extension will not commence until the District is assured that electrical service will be required immediately upon completion of the extension unless full payment is made in advance for all facilities.
