20190820Staff Track Changes Recommendations Master Metering Rules.pdf

Section 000 Page 1 Barratt 4-19-19
IDAPA 31
TITLE 26
CHAPTER 01
31.26.01 – MASTER-METERING RULES FOR ELECTRIC UTILITIES

000. LEGAL AUTHORITY (RULE 0).
These rules are adopted under the general legal authority of the Public Utilities Law, chapters 1 through 7, Title 61,
Idaho Code, and the specific authority of Sections 61-301, 61-302, 61-303, 61-315, 61-503, 61-507, and 61-520, Idaho
Code, with regard to service. (7-1-93)

001. TITLE AND SCOPE (RULE 1).
The name of this chapter is “Master-Metering Rules for Electric Utilities.” This chapter has the following scope: All
electric utilities are required to abide by these rules defining when and under what circumstances their customers may
master-meter tenants of the customer. (7-1-93)

002. WRITTEN INTERPRETATIONS OR GUIDELINES (RULE 2).
For rulemakings conducted before July 1, 1993, written interpretations to these rules in the form of explanatory
comments accompanying the order of proposed rulemaking and review of comments submitted in the order adopting
these rules are maintained in the files of the Secretary of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission and are available from
the office of the Commission Secretary. The Commission Secretary may be contacted in writing at the Idaho Public
Utilities Commission, PO Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0074, or may be reached by telephone at [phone].
For rulemakings conducted after July 1, 1993, written interpretations to these rules in the form of explanatory
comments accompanying the notice of proposed rulemaking that originally proposed the rules and review of comments
submitted in the rulemaking decision adopting these rules are published in the issues of the Idaho Administrative
Bulletin proposing or adopting the rules. (7-1-93)

003. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS (RULE 3).
There are no administrative appeals under these rules because they are not procedural rules. If an issue should arise
calling for a proceeding to apply these rules, that proceeding would be conducted under the Commission’s Rules of
Procedure, IDAPA 31.01.01.000 et seq. (7-1-93)

004. PUBLIC RECORDS ACT COMPLIANCE (RULE 4).
All correspondence with regard to these rules is a public record subject to inspection, examination and copying, unless
it is an investigatory record under Section 74-105(1), Idaho Code. (7-1-93)

005. DEFINITIONS (RULE 5).
As used in these rules: (7-1-93)

01. Electric Utility. Electric utility or utility means an “electrical corporation” as defined by statute in
Chapter 1, Title 61, Idaho Code, and orders of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission and decisions of the Supreme
Court of Idaho construing those statutes. (7-1-93)

02. Tenant -- Mobile Home Park. A tenant of a mobile home park is a person defined as a tenant and
not a transient by the Mobile Home Park Tenant Act, Section 55-2001 et seq., Idaho Code, and in particular by Section
55-2003(4) and 55-2003(5), Idaho Code. (7-1-93)

03. Tenant -- Multi-Unit Residential or Commercial Building. A tenant of a multi-unit residential
building is a person who is not a transient and who intends to reside in or be a commercial tenant in one (1) of the
building’s units for a period not less than one (1) month.

04. Master-Metering – Provision of service to multiple tenants through one meter, which measures the
aggregate usage of all tenants. Typically the utility bills the property owner or landlord based on measurement by the
master meter.

Section 000 Page 2 Barratt 4-19-19

(7-1-93)

006. CITATION (RULE 6).
The official citation of these rules is IDAPA 31.26.01.000 et seq. For example, this rule is cited as IDAPA
31.26.01.006. In documents submitted to the Commission or issued by the Commission, however, these rules may be
cited by their short title of Master-Metering Rules (MMR) and the parenthetical rule number. For example, this rule
may be cited as MMR 6. (7-1-93)

007. EFFECTIVE DATE – HISTORY OF RULES (RULE 7).
The Commission adopted predecessors to these rules in 1980. They were most recently codified at IDAPA 31.C.10.
They were readopted and reformatted by rulemaking decision in docket number 16-2601-9301, effective July 1, 1993.
The history of rulemaking proceedings preceding the initiation of the publishing of the Idaho Administrative Bulletin
and the Idaho Administrative Code is available from the Commission Secretary. (7-1-93)

008. – 100 99. (RESERVED)

MASTER-METERING RULES FOR ELECTRIC UTILITIES
RULES 101100 THROUGH 200199

101 100. MASTER-METERING AND INDIVIDUAL METERING IN MOBILE HOME PARKS (RULE 101
100).

01. Parks Metered After July 1, 1980 Master Metering Prohibited. Master-metering, wheter or not
in conjunction with sub-metering of electric service by the park operator, is prohibited for any mobile home park
connected for service by the utility after July 1, 1980. After that date, tenants (excluding transients) of mobile home
parks connected for service after July 1, 1980, must be individually metered and billed by the electric utility serving
the mobile home park. Master-metering of these tenants, whether or not in conjunction with sub-metering by the park
operator, is prohibited. (7-1-93)

02. Exception for Sub-M metered Parks. Any Mmobile home parks connected for service on or before
July 1, 1980 whose spaces for non-transient tenants (excluding transients) have been are fully sub-metered for
electricity by the park owners need not be individually metered by the electric utility supplying the park. A M mobile
home parks sub-metered by the park operator must charge each of their tenants the same rate for electric service that
a residential customer of the utility serving the park would charge the tenant if the tenant were directly metered and
billed by the utility. Testing of submeters shall be the park operator’s expense. Upon request, the utility will provide
written instruction on how to calculate bills for submetered tenants in conformance with the utility’s applicable rate
schedule. (7-1-93)

03. Transition Rule for Sub-Metered Parks. Mobile home parks that were partially sub-metered on
July 1, 1980, must individually meter all spaces to be used by non-transient tenants before January 1, 1981. At the
option of the park operator, the operator may extend an existing sub-metering system to those spaces not metered by
the operator or may request the utility providing service to the park to meter the unmetered spaces for non-transient
tenants at the utility’s expense. (7-1-93)

04. Utility Payment for Reading Sub-Meters. The utility supplying electricity to sub-metered parks
shall pay the park operator one dollar and fifteen cents ($1.15) per month per sub-metered occupied customer space.
The utility will only pay one dollar and fifteen cents ($1.15) per month per space that is occupied during the month.
(7-1-93)

05. List of Grandfathered Mobile Home Parks. The electric utility shall file with the Commission a
list of “grandfathered” mobile home operators who are entitled to a payment for sub-metered occupied customer
spaces. Each month, the owner-operator will certify to the utility the number of spaces that were occupied during the
month. The utility will have the right to request from the owner-operator reasonable documentation of any customer

Section 000 Page 3 Barratt 4-19-19
account provided to the utility. (7-1-93)

102 101. MASTER-METERING AND INDIVIDUAL METERING IN MULTI-OCCUPANT RESIDENTIAL
BUILDINGS (RULE 102).
No mMulti-occupant residential buildings shall be master-metered for electric service connected for electric service
after July 1, 1980, will not be master-metered if the dwelling units for nontransient tenants contain an electric space
heating, water heating, or air-conditioning (space cooling) unit that is not centrally controlled and for which the
dwelling unit’s tenants individually control electric usage. In such case, non-transient tenants must be individually
metered and billed by the electric utility. (7-1-93)

103 102. MASTER-METERING AND INDIVIDUAL METERING IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND
SHOPPING CENTERS (RULE 103).
No unit of commercial buildings and shopping centers shall be master-metered for electric connected for electric
service after July 1, 1980, must not be master metered if the units for their non-transient tenants contain an electric
space heating, water heating, or air-conditioning (space cooling) unit that is not centrally controlled and over for which
the unit’s tenants individually control electric usage. Any non-transient tTenants in otherwise master-metered
buildings must be individually metered and billed by the utility if whose the tenant’s electric load or who operate
appliances whose electric load is significantly greater than that of other tenants in the building or shopping center or
exceeds the individual metering threshold found in the utility’s tariffs. must be individually metered. (7-1-93)

104. TARIFFS PROHIBITING MASTER-METERING AUTHORIZED (RULE 104).
Electric utilities may file tariffs prohibiting master-metering and requiring individual metering in instances not
required by these rules. If these tariffs require conversion from master-metering to individual metering of buildings
master-metered on July 1, 1980, the utility shall bear all wiring costs between the meter and its distribution lines unless
it reaches a contrary agreement with the affected persons. (7-1-93)

105. 103-- 999. (RESERVED)