Iowa Admin. Code r. 199-19.1
Iowa Code chapter 479 provides that the Iowa utilities commission shall have full authority and power to promulgate rules as it deems proper and expedient in the supervision of the transportation or transmission and underground storage of gas within the state of Iowa.
The application of the rules in this chapter to municipally owned utilities furnishing gas is limited by Iowa Code section 476.1B.
The abbreviations used, and their meanings, are as follows:
Btu-British thermal unit
LP-Gas-Liquefied Petroleum Gas
psig-Pounds per Square Inch, Gauge
W.C.-Water Column
"Appliance" refers to any device which utilizes gas fuel to produce light, heat or power.
"CFR" means the Code of Federal Regulations, which contains the general administrative rules adopted by federal departments and agencies, in effect as of December 22, 2021, unless a separate effective date is identified in a specific rule.
"Commission" means the Iowa utilities commission.
"Complaint" as used in these rules is a statement or question by anyone, whether a utility customer or not, alleging a wrong, grievance, injury, dissatisfaction, illegal action or procedure, dangerous condition or action, or utility failure to fulfill an obligation.
"Cubic foot" of gas has the following meanings:
"Customer" means any person, firm, association, or corporation, any agency of the federal, state or local government, or legal entity responsible by law for payment for the gas service or heat from the gas utility.
"Delinquent" or "delinquency" means an account for which a service bill or service payment agreement has not been paid in full on or before the last day for timely payment.
"Gas," unless otherwise specifically designated, means manufactured gas, natural gas, other hydrocarbon gases, or any mixture of gases produced, transmitted, distributed or furnished by any gas utility.
"Gas plant" means all facilities including all real estate, fixtures and property owned, controlled, operated or managed by a gas utility for the production, storage, transmission and distribution of gas and heat.
"Heating and calorific values." The following values shall be used:
NOTE: The amount of dry gas in a standard cubic foot is .9826 cubic foot.
NOTE: The net calorific value of a gas is its total calorific value minus the latent heat of evaporation at standard temperature of the water formed by the combustion reaction.
"Interruption of service" means any disturbance of the gas supply whereby gas service to a customer cannot be maintained.
"Loss factor" as used in rule 199-19.10 (476) means test-year purchases less test-year sales. A five-year average of purchases less sales may be used if the test year is determined by the commission to be abnormal.
"Main" means a gas pipe, owned, operated, or maintained by a utility, which is used for the purpose of transmission or distribution of gas, but does not include "service line".
"Meter," without other qualification, shall mean any device or instrument which is used by a utility in measuring a quantity of gas.
"Meter shop" is a shop where meters are inspected, repaired and tested, and may be at a fixed location or may be mobile.
"Pressure," unless otherwise stated, is expressed in pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure, i.e., gauge pressure (abbreviation-psig).
"Rate-regulated utility" means any utility as defined in the definition of "utility" below which is subject to rate regulation provided for in Iowa Code chapter 476.
"Service line" means a distribution line that transports gas from a common source of supply to a customer meter or the connection to a customer's piping, whichever is farther downstream, or the connection to a customer's piping if there is not a customer meter. A customer meter is the meter that measures the transfer of gas from a utility to a customer.
"Tap" or "town border station" means the delivery point or measuring station at which a gas distribution utility receives gas from a natural gas transmission company.
"Tariff" means the entire body of rates, tolls, rentals, charges, classifications, rules, procedures, policies, etc., adopted and filed with the commission by a gas utility in fulfilling its role of furnishing gas service.
"Timely payment" is a payment on a customer's account made on or before the date shown on a current bill for service or on a form which records an agreement between the customer and a utility for a series of partial payments to settle a delinquent account, as the date which determines application of a late payment charge to the current bill or future collection efforts.
"Utility" means any person, partnership, business association, or corporation, domestic or foreign, owning or operating any facilities for furnishing gas or heat to the public for compensation.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 199-19.1