THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY SCHRODER, D. COSTA, HARKINS, HORNAMAN, M.K. KELLER, PICKETT, QUINN, WAGNER AND WATSON, MARCH 4, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, MARCH 4, 2011  

AN ACT

Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania

Consolidated Statutes, providing for the regulation of

service voltage.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 1504.1.  Service voltage.

(a)  Standard voltage.--A public utility shall adopt a

standard nominal service voltage for the entire territory served

by the public utility and shall file with the commission data on

the standard service voltage as part of its officially filed

tariff. The suitability and adequacy of the standard nominal

service voltage adopted may be determined at any time by the

commission.

(b)  Allowable voltage variation for primarily lighting

purposes.--For service rendered primarily for lighting purposes,

the allowable variation in voltage measured at the service

terminals of the customer may not exceed, for a period longer

than one minute in each instance, 5% above or below the standard

nominal service voltage and a total variation from minimum to

maximum of 8% during normal system operation.

(c)  Allowable voltage variation for primarily power

purposes.--For service rendered primarily for power purposes,

the allowable variation in voltage measured at the service

terminals of the customer may not exceed, for a period longer

than one minute in each instance, 10% above or below the

standard nominal service voltage during normal system operation. 

(d)  Variation in excess of allowable limits.--The following

apply:

(1)  A public utility may, if approved by the commission,

furnish service under conditions of greater voltage

variations if there is a filing of the following with the

commission:

(i)  A copy of existing contracts containing a

provision for the supply of service with such greater

variations of voltage.

(ii)  A copy of contracts made which contemplate the

supply of service under conditions of greater voltage

variations and which in each case contain a clause

stating the probable variations in voltage which will

occur in the service rendered under such contract, and

further, that such greater variations in voltage will not

result in unreasonable discrimination in favor of or

against any customer.

(2)  Variations of voltage in excess of those specified

under this section caused by the operations of the facilities

of the customer in violation of his contract or beyond the

control of the public utility shall not be considered

violations of this section.

(3)  Variations of voltage in excess of those specified

in the filed tariff rules of the public utility shall be

considered a violation of this section if the public utility

did not take prudent engineering measures to prevent the

variations of voltage. If a public utility violates this

section, the commission may impose civil penalties against

the public utility in an amount equal to the cost of the

actual damages incurred by a customer as a result of the

excess voltage, which may be applied to the customer's bill

in the form of a credit.

(e)  Records.--A public utility shall keep in continuous

operation at least one graphic recording voltmeter on each

primary network system or on at least one circuit from each

substation supplying more than 1,000 customers. The meters shall

be installed either at the substation or near the load center of

the area or circuits. The hourly readings of indicating

voltmeters recorded at points of supply shall constitute a

satisfactory voltage record. A public utility shall also install

additional graphic recording voltmeters at the places and for

the periods of time as the commission may require.

Section 2.  The provisions of 52 Pa. Code § 57.14 (relating

to service voltage) are abrogated.

Section 3.  This act shall take effect immediately.