12.03.020 Electricity Meters.
The following regulations apply to electricity meters:
(1) Meters shall be located in an accessible area on an outside wall of the building served with electricity. If a meter is enclosed by changing the building, the meter shall be relocated outside the building at the purchaser’s expense. Existing inside meters shall be moved as a condition of the building permit and at the purchaser’s expense outside a building whenever major repairs or rewiring is done.
(2) The Department shall cause to be installed and maintained one (1) meter for each class of service supplied. Each such service connection shall be billed independently of all others, and all meters shall be tested periodically by the Department and will be replaced or repaired if found defective.
(3) As a condition of service all purchasers of electricity shall give to the Department and its employees permission to enter the purchaser’s premises, without liability for trespass, for the purpose of reading and inspecting meters and keeping in repair and removing all or any part of the apparatus or property owned by the City in connection with the supplying of electricity.
(4) The property owner and tenant are responsible to maintain adequate clearance around the meter to facilitate reading, maintenance, inspection or other required operations in connection with the meter.
(5) The purchaser shall provide access to the meter through the property without Department employees being required to gain access to the meter through another purchaser’s premises. The purchaser shall provide a route of access to the meter free from litter and the threat of any animal, overgrowth or other hindrance which may be detrimental to the safety of the Department employees or in hindrance of their work.
(6) If Subsections (3), (4), or (5) of this Section are not met, the Department may disconnect the electric power serving the premises of the purchaser who is in violation. Such disconnection shall be made only after giving reasonable notice to remedy the condition.
(7) Each meter shall be read at the time service is established and at stated periods thereafter approximately thirty (30) days apart.
(8) The use of a single meter for two (2) or more buildings shall not be permitted unless:
(a) the buildings are under common ownership or leasehold;
(b) the buildings are interconnected and classed as a one (1) fire risk.
(9) Any apparatus originally supplied or furnished by the Department remains the property of the Department and is to be reclaimed by the Department upon discontinuance of its use by the consumer.