Section 2.1 General
Section 2.1.1 Availability of Service
The availability of service for the equipment to be used shall be determined from the District before proceeding with the wiring or the installation of equipment.
Section 2.1.2 Phase & Voltage To Be Supplied
The District will advise the Customer of, and supply him with, the most suitable phase and voltage available upon established circuits. Three-phase, 3-wire services are not allowed by the District.
Section 2.1.3 Fault Current
The District will advise the Customer of available fault current either at the transformer or the metering point. It will be the Customer’s responsibility to provide service equipment rated for the available fault current. In no case shall Customer utilize “cable protectors” ahead of the meter to limit fault duty.
Section 2.1.4 Service Refusal
The District reserves the right to refuse to connect, or render service to, any applicant or any Customer where such connection and/or where the applicant or Customer has not complied with State, Municipal or District regulations concerning the rendition of service.
Section 2.1.5 Access to Premises for Maintenance
The District shall have the right, through its agents or employees, to safely enter the property of the Customer at all times for the purpose of reading, inspecting, repairing, or removing metering devices, appliances, and wiring of the District, trimming or removing trees and brush around meters, transformers, or other equipment that may interfere with the safe and efficient operation of the utility system, maintenance of utility lines, both overhead and underground, and inspection, replacement, installation and removal of District facilities.
Section 2.1.6 Protective Devices
Suitable protective devices on the Customer’s premises may be required whenever the District deems such installation necessary to protect its property or that of its other Customers. See Drawing #35 regarding guard posts for padmount equipment.
Section 2.1.7 Conductor Common Legs Marked
All service conductors provided by the Customer will be marked by the Customer or Contractor with colored tape to identify common legs of the service at the point of connection to District facilities. (See Drawings #21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27 and 28).
Section 2.1.8 Overhead Service by District
Overhead service drops will be run by the District and attached to a connection point acceptable to the District, provided by the Customer, on the Customer’s facility. (See Drawings #1, 2, 3, & 4). The point of demarcation is the connections between the District service wire and the Customer’s service wire on self-contained metering and building mounted C.T. enclosures. In the case of metering on a District pole, the District will run the drop to the pole and connect to the Customer’s wiring thereon. The point of demarcation is the connections between the District service wire and the Customer’s service wire, near the weatherhead on selfcontained metering installations and at the current transformer(s) on pole top C.T. metered installations. (See drawings #7 and 8)
Section 2.1.9 Underground Service Cable in Conduit by Customer
The Customer will install underground service conductors in conduit, 2 inches minimum diameter between District facilities and the point of metering in accordance with specifications contained in these Requirements. Service conductors shall not be installed until a continuous conduit run has been installed from the metering point into the pad mount transformer or secondary enclosure and approved by a PUD Representative. Service conductors may be installed on services that are fed from a PUD pole if the first 10 feet of schedule 80 conduit has been attached to a standoff bracket on pole. (See Chart #2)
Section 2.2 Service Supply Conductors – Overhead
Section 2.2.1 District-Provided Service Poles
The District will furnish and install service poles where they are required. Payment for service poles shall be as determined in Section 3--Line Extension Regulations of the Electric Service Regulations.
Section 2.2.3 Attachment Vertical Clearance
Service drop clearances shall comply with appropriate requirements of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC), National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), and the NEC. Service drop conductors shall not be readily accessible to physical contact. Changes, additions, and/or grading on Customer premises shall not cause clearances under and around service wiresto be lessthan indicated herein. District shall be advised when clearance problems exist. In some cases, Customer may be responsible for costs incurred to restore clearances. Improper clearance is reason for disconnection of service. (See Drawings #4 and 5).
Section 2.2.4 Service Conductor Clearances Above a Roof
The point of service attachment on the building shall be such that both the attachment and the lowest point of the drip loop will be at least 10 feet above finish grade. The attachment must be high enough to allow 15' of conductor clearance over driveways, and the point of contact should be within 2 feet of the weatherhead. Where necessary, approved structures to support service conductors and for reinforcement of a building structure to provide adequate anchorage for service drop, conductors shall be provided by Contractor or Customer. (See Drawings #2, 4, and 5). Conductors shall have a vertical clearance as appropriate for pedestrian and vehicular traffic on roofs as shown on Drawings #4 and 5 herein.
Exception No. 1: Where the voltage between conductors does not exceed 300 and the roof has a slope of not less than 4 inches in 12 inches, a reduction in clearance to 3 feet shall be permitted.
Exception No. 2: Where the voltage between conductors does not exceed 300, a reduction in clearance above only the overhanging portion of the roof to not less than 18 inches shall be permitted if:
- Not more than 4 feet of service-drop conductors pass above the roof overhang, and
- They are terminated at a through-the-roof raceway or approved support.
Section 2.2.5 Service Conductor Clearance Above Ground
Service drop conductors, where not in excess of 600 V nominal, shall have minimum clearance from final grade as shown on Drawing #4.
Section 2.2.6 Service Conductor Clearances From Openings
Service conductors shall not be installed beneath openings through which materials may be moved, such as openings in farm and general power buildings. Overhead wires shall not be run such that they obstruct entrance to these building openings.
Section 2.2.7 Service Drop Attachment
The service entrance must be located where there is adequate material and strength for the District to attach its service drop. The attachment must have sufficient height to provide the required service drop and drip-loop clearances as specified herein. The attachment point must be accessible by ladder.
Preferred points of attachment are building studs or solid masonry at least 1 foot from a corner. Some trim and soffit boards are acceptable when substantially reinforced. Weatherhead attachments are acceptable provided adequate clearance from the roof is maintained.
Where a mast is over 26 inches tall or the service attached to it is over 100 feet long, the mast shall be guyed. (See Drawings #2 and 3 for details).
Section 2.2.8 Low Building Provision
When the building is too low to obtain proper clearance for the service wire attachment, Customer must provide an approved upright or service mast of rigid metal conduit of sufficient strength and height for the attachment of the service drop wires. Minimum acceptable mast shall be 2 inches galvanized steel conduit. (See Drawings #2 and 3).
Section 2.2.9 Multiple Service Entrance-Spacing
When more than one service entrance is provided on a building, the spacing between the service entrances should not exceed 24 inches without special permission. Consideration for exceptions would include:
- Fire pumps where separate service is required
- Emergency required standby
- Multiple occupancy buildings with limited space for service entrance
- Capacity requirements in excess of 2000 ampere per service
- Large Area Buildings
- Different electrical characteristics (phase, voltage, phase, etc.)
Section 2.2.10 Service Entrance Clearance From Adjoining Property
36 inches is required as the minimum permissible clearance between the front of metering equipment and/or meter and the adjacent property line.
Section 2.2.11 Rewiring Existing Service Entrance
The service entrance from an existing supply bus on a building may be changed or increased in capacity at its present location if it is in compliance with existing District Requirements.
Section 2.3 Underground Service Supplied by Customer
The Customer shall provide and install service cable and conduit in a trench also provided by the Customer. See Section 8 for trench requirements.
Section 2.3.1 Underground Service Cable “Tails” by Customer
Service cables shall be provided by the Customer in lengths adequate to extend up the pole to the secondary or the transformer terminals (including street crossings). (See Drawing #6). For padmount transformers or pedestal sources, sufficient tails shall be left to reach the appropriate connectors. (See Drawings #31, 32, and 33).
Section 2.3.2 Lateral Not Enclosed
Service entrance provided from underground distribution systems shall be located and terminated in accordance with District design standards. The service lateral shall not be enclosed within or covered by any alteration, facade, or addition to the building. The meter conduit risers may be located within footing, foundation and wall of the exterior wall of any building that is constructed with a flush-mounted meter base.
Section 2.3.3 Cables Rated for Service Environment
Cables to be installed in conduit or buried in direct contact with the earth shall be a type designated by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries or NEC for the application (e.g. direct buried in dirt, in conduit, exposed to UV).
Section 2.3.4 District Standards for Cable Sizes and Types, Number of Runs and Conduit Sizes
See Section 11, Charts 1, 2 and 3.
Section 2.3.5 Cable Connection by District at District Facility
Underground service runs provided and installed by the Customer or Contractor will be connected by the District, to District provided facilities. For all conductor sizes larger than 350 MCM, the customer or the customer’s contractor will furnish the District with 2-hole NEMA spades, 1-¾ inches in width for each conductor to be terminated at the District’s transformer. (or as directed by District Rep)
Section 2.3.6 Cable Connection by Customer at Service
The Customer or Contractor will connect service cables at the point of metering.
Section 2.3.7 Maintenance of Underground Services
A) Residential Service Maintained by District
The District will maintain all underground residential services, installed to District specifications, up to the point of metering after a one-year warranty period. After the District accepts the installation, and after a one-year warranty period, the District will be responsible for the service up to, but not including, the meter base lugs on self-contained meter installations and at the current transformer on C.T metering installations.
Whenever a Customer requests changes to the service that affect the maintenance responsibility, the Customer will be so advised.
B) Apartments and Condominiums
The underground service or services to any multi-unit residential structure or structures containing more than 4 individually metered dwelling units, ownedand operated as a single general power entity, shall not be classified as residential with respect to the requirements of this section.
C) General Power and Industrial Services Maintained by Customer
All underground services to general power or industrial customers will be maintained by the customer or the customer’s contractor at the customer’s expense. The District will assist, by request, in the maintenance by providing available resources at the customer’s expense.
Section 2.3.8 Trench Inspection by District
Residential service conduit on the source side of metering must be inspected and approved by a District representative after installation in the trench, but prior to backfill. (See Drawings #30, 31, and 32 for details).
Section 2.3.9 Splices Not Allowed
Splices are not accepted on new residential cable installations on the source side of metering.
Section 2.3.10 Residential Service Cable Burial Depth
Underground residential service to the point of metering shall be installed at a depth of 42 inches. Where solid rock or obstructions prevent compliance with this depth requirement, reduction in depth and associated additional protective requirements shall be determined by a District representative. (See Drawing #30)
Section 2.3.11 Riser Conduits by Customer
All pole risers shall be installed on poles utilizing standoff brackets as indicated on Drawings #6, 7, and #8. The Customer or electrician shall attach only the first 10 foot section and the District will complete the installation. The Customer or electrician shall provide the remainder of the material and conductor to complete the installation as shown. If a conduit riser exists on a pole, the new riser must be installed using existing standoff brackets and mounted adjacent to the existing conduit.
Riser pole conduit shall be rigid galvanized metallic conduit or schedule 80 PVC for the lowest 10 foot section. Conduit above the lowest 10 foott section may be schedule 40 PVC. Nonmetallic conduit must be UV resistant.
Riser conduit on a building ahead of the meter base shall be rigid galvanized metallic or schedule 80 PVC. (See Drawing #11).
Section 2.3.12 No LB Fittings in Service Conduit
Conduit installations for cables shall not include conduit elbow fittings (LB). Standard conduit bends must be used. Bend radius should be 24 inches or larger. Conduit elbow fittings (LB) shall not be used ahead of metering. (See sweep specifications, Chart #1.)
Section 2.3.13 the Riser Bend
The Riser Bend shall be provided and installed by Customer between the continuous conduit and the pole riser. The bend shall be PVC Schedule 40 or Schedule 80, rigid non-metallic electrical conduit. The bend shall be installed at the time of conduit installation. The District will extend conduit up pole. The proper location of the Riser Bend on the pole (quadrant) shall be obtained from District representative. Where the Riser Bend is to be extended to a location requiring pole setting, replacement, or alteration by the District, such extension shall not bemade until the pole work is completed by the District.
Section 2.3.14 Conduits Into Existing Transformers
Conduit into existing transformers or secondary pedestals is to be installed by the District. The Customer or Contractor shall install conduits for new general power or industrial installations into the secondary area of the transformer site prior to the new transformer installation.
Section 2.3.15 Conduit Sealing for Below-Grade Locations
Termination of secondary distribution conduits within the building below grade is not a preferred installation due to water seepage problems. It has proven to be very difficult to insure long-term water tightness of the conduit and cables through the building wall. It is the Customer’s responsibility to provide drainage and sealing as needed to prevent damage to the electrical facilities and other property inside the building.