N.H. Admin. Code § Puc 304.03

Current through Register No. 45, November 7, 2024

Section Puc 304.03 - Interruptions of Service

(a) Each utility shall use all reasonable means within industry practices to avoid interruptions to service, including:

(1) Maintaining appropriate levels of maintenance;

(2) Planning for unexpected events; and

(3) Considering in decisions affecting potential interruptions to service:

a.The potential safety, reliability, cost and delay issues; and

b.The manner that best accommodates the public.

(b) If an interruption to service occurs, the utility shall restore service within the shortest time reasonable, consistent with safety, and provide service on a 24-hour basis.

(c) Each utility shall maintain a record, as required in (d) below, when an interruption to service of more than a 5 minute duration occurs affecting:

(1) An entire substation; or

(2) The entire distribution circuit of a substation.

(d) When an interruption to service occurs as described in (c) above, a utility shall:

(1) Keep a record of the circumstances of the interruption; and

(2) Report the interruption to the commission on form E-2, pursuant to Puc 308.02.

(e) When service is interrupted to perform work on lines or equipment, the utility shall conduct such work at a time causing minimum inconvenience to customers consistent with the circumstances.

(f) A utility shall attempt to notify all affected customers in advance of all planned interruptions to service.

(g) When a utility has actual notice of customers known by the utility who would encounter a potentially life-threatening situation as a result of a planned service interruption, the utility shall provide actual notice to those customers of planned service interruptions.

(h) A potentially life-threatening situation, for purposes of (g) above, shall mean a situation where:

(1) A customer relies upon life support equipment; or

(2) Any other potentially life-threatening medical condition exists.

(i) A utility shall be permitted to require the customer to document the potentially life-threatening situation and to request such documentation be updated on an annual basis.

(j) A utility shall interrupt or curtail electric service or vary the characteristics thereof under the following circumstances:

(1) When necessary to prevent injury to persons or damage to property;

(2) When directed or requested to do so by police, fire, or other public safety officials;

(3) When required by conditions occurring in the interconnected transmission grid connected to its facilities, to effect temporary load reduction for the common good; or

(4) With notice to the customers or group of customers and the commission pursuant to Puc 1203.11, to prevent a single customer or group of customers from causing continuing adverse effects to the electricity supply of another customer or group of customers.

N.H. Admin. Code § Puc 304.03

#2011, eff 5-4-82; ss by #2912, eff 11-26-84; ss by #4999, eff 11-26-90; ss by #6381, INTERIM, eff 11-27-97, EXPIRED: 3-27-97

New. #6605, eff 10-21-97; ss by #8448, eff 10-18-05

Adopted by byVolume XXXIV Number 24, Filed June 12, 2014, Proposed by #10603, Effective 5/21/2014, Expires5/21/2024 .