City of Riverside
Public Utilities Department 13-1
ELECTRIC RULE 13
UTILITY’S FACILITIES AND
RIGHT OF ACCESS
The Utility shall maintain and operate all infrastructure necessary to provide utility services.
All service delivery within City limits shall be conducted exclusively through said facilities, which may be located within the public right-of-way or upon private property. The Utility shall at all times have the right of safe ingress to, and egress from, the Customer’s Premises at all reasonable hours for any purpose reasonably connected with the su pplying of electric energy and the exercise of any and all rights secured to it by law, or these Electric Rules.
Any portion of the service connection located, in whole or in part, upon a Customer's premises shall remain the exclusive property of the Utility. The Utility shall not be liable for the payment of rent, fees, or any other compensation for the placement, operation, or maintenance of Utility-owned service facilities on said premises.
The Customer is responsible for providing and maintaining at all times a visible, unconcealed, and unobstructed access for the Utility to all Utility owned facilities located on the Premises.
Failure to permit access and allow work on the Utility’s facilities are grounds for termination of service. This work includes the periodic reading of meters, maintenance or replacement of primary, secondary, service and meteri ng facilities, tree trimming, vegetation management, and other necessary work on the Utility’s electrical facilities including removal after termination of service. The Utility shall not be liable for any trespass or damages resulting from such entry, provided such ac tions are performed in the exercise of its municipal utility functions. During an emergency the Utility shall, at any time and with minimal notice, have access to any Utility’s facilities and other property owned by it which may be located on Customers’ premises for purposes of performing any and all necessary work on the Utility’s electrical facilities including removal after termination of service.
The Customer's utility system shall be subject for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the Utility. If safe access to the meter is not provided for any reason including without limitation locked doors, fences, insufficiently restrained pets or vegetation, the Utility will notify the Customer of access problems via door hanger at monthly scheduled read date.
If the Utility is required to make an appointment or other arrangement to read the meter more than once during any 12-month period, a charge will be made for each appointment thereafter. Repeated failure to provide access may result in installation of remote metering devices at the Utility’s option. A service charge may be assessed fo r remote metering devices as noted in Appendix A.
Residential and Commercial Electric Service lines affected by private trees are the sole responsibility of the pr operty/business owner. Owner s are responsible for preventing damage and interference from private trees to the service line beginning at the power pole to the point of connection to the home or busine ss unless strain or abrasion is present per General Order No. 95 Rule 35.
The Utility requires Customers to maintain proper safety clearances around electrical facilities in accordance with California PU C General Orders 95 and 128 requirements.
Customers shall be responsible for the maintenance of all veget ation on their premises to ensure compliance with established safety clearances around the Utility’s electrical facilities.
Customers must ensure that any vegetation maintenance work is performed by certified arborists specially trained and qualified to work around energized facilities.
The Utility reserves the right to abate, trim, or remove any vegetation that encroaches upon required safety clearances or poses an immediate hazard to el ectrical facilities. If a Customer fails to maintain such vegetation, the Utility may perform the necessary work, and all associated costs shall be charged to and paid by the Customer.
Adopted by Board of Public Utilities: February 15, 2013 Board Resolution No. 2013-1 Approved by City Council: March 26, 2013 Council Resolution: 22513 Effective Date: March 26, 2013