Line Extension Policy

Policy 17

This policy (Policy 17) was updated and approved by the board of directors on March 19, 2009 and replaces all previous policies as it relates to the following:

SUBJECT: LINE EXTENSION POLICY, AREA COVERAGE

OBJECTIVE:

The Board of Directors shall make diligent effort to see that electric service is extended to all unserved persons within the Cooperative’s service area, who (a) desire such service, and (b) meet all reasonable requirements established by the Cooperative as a condition of service.

POLICY:

REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS

Member must have at least a leasehold interest in the location that electric service is to be built.
Member shall provide accessible entrance to all Cooperative structures and equipment.
Member shall provide the right-of-way easements. If the member is not the legal landowner, they will be responsible for attaining said easements.
The member will be responsible for obtaining all necessary easements (forms will be supplied by the Cooperative) and for all right-of-way clearing costs or for clearing all right-of-way (per Cooperative engineering specifications).
Any “aid to construction” shall be paid in full prior to the start of any construction.
The member will be required to pay a recording fee for all easements to ensure that the easement for the power line will be incorporated into the deed of the property.
Any cost incurred by the Cooperative in obtaining an easement for right-of-way will be passed onto the member requesting the new line construction.
The Engineering Department will implement a “line of sight” method when determining the routing of all secondary wire. This means the service entrance must be located on the same side of the home/building/structure as the existing transformer. If the service entrance does not meet these requirements the member will be responsible for any cost incurred by the Cooperative to accommodate the relocation of the transformer and service wire.
When the Cooperative is designing the power line the staking engineers will always take the most direct and reasonable route possible when engineering the power line. The staking engineer will design the primary power line and the secondary power line construction in a straight “line of site” as much as possible from point A to point B.
Structure must have a minimum of 500 square feet of enclosed living space and the structure must be on somewhat of a permanent foundation. The structure must be supplied with a well or public water system and have an approved sewage disposal system before the power line will be constructed.
The member shall be responsible for supplying the appropriate mast, meter base, service disconnect, ground rod, conduit, and elbow etc, as per the Cooperatives Engineering Departments specifications.

SINGLE-PHASE SERVICE TO COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES

For all purposes the Cooperative states that the standard construction for power lines is overhead construction.
When the member has met all requirements and specifications, then the Cooperative will construct the following power lines and service lines accordingly.
a. The Cooperative will supply overhead service to the member, up to three (3) single-phase poles, a transformer, and up to 150 feet of overhead secondary service wire to the member at no cost. The member will be responsible for all right-of-way clearing costs. Additional cost to the member thereafter will be at $300 per pole up to one-half (1/2) of a mile, 2640 feet, thereafter the cost per pole will be at $600, plus all right-of-way clearing costs. Any distance of single-phase overhead construction over one-half (1/2) mile may require Board approval.
b. The Cooperative will supply overhead service to the member, up to three (3) single-phase poles, a transformer, and up to 150 feet of underground secondary service wire to the member at no cost. The member will be responsible for all right-of-way clearing costs as well as opening and closing of the ditch and supplying all of the necessary backfill, as per the Cooperatives engineering specifications. Additional cost to the member thereafter will be at $300 per pole up to one-half (1/2) of a mile, 2640 feet, thereafter the cost per pole will be at $600, plus all right-of-way clearing costs. Any distance of single phase overhead construction over one-half (1/2) mile may require Board approval.
c. Overhead secondary service will be provided at no cost to the member from the existing transformer to the service entrance/meter location up to, but not to exceed, 150 feet of secondary service wire.
d. Underground secondary service will be provided at no cost to the member from the existing transformer to the service entrance/ meter up to, but not to exceed, 150 feet of secondary service wire, provided the member opens and closes the ditch and supplies all of the necessary backfill, as per Cooperatives engineering specifications.
e. At the request of the member, single-phase underground service will be provided in lieu of single-phase overhead service. The cost to the member for this underground service will be the cost difference between underground versus overhead, which is $5 per foot for the first 1000 feet, thereafter the cost per foot for this underground service will be $10 per foot. These costs are valid provided the member opens and closes the ditch and supplies all of the necessary backfill, as per Cooperatives engineering specifications. Any distance of single phase underground construction over one-half (1/2) mile may require Board approval.
f. Subdivisions, at the request of the member/developer, may pay for single-phase underground service in lieu of overhead primary. The cost for this underground service will be the cost difference between underground versus overhead, which is $5 per foot for the first 1000 feet, thereafter the cost per for this underground service will be $10 per foot. These costs are valid provided the member opens and closes the ditch and supplies all of the necessary backfill, as per Cooperatives engineering specifications. Any distance of single phase underground construction over one-half (1/2) mile may require Board approval.
g. Subdivisions, not requesting underground service, will be supplied by overhead service up to three (3) single-phase poles, a transformer, and up to 150 feet of overhead or underground secondary service wire at no cost to the member. The member will be responsible for all right-of-way clearing costs as well as opening and closing the ditch and supplying all of the necessary backfill, as per the Cooperatives engineering specifications. Additional cost to the member thereafter will be at $300 per pole up to one-half (1/2) mile, 2640 feet, thereafter the cost per pole will be at $600, plus all right-of-way clearing costs. Any distance of single-phase overhead construction over one-half (1/2) mile may require Board approval.