Letters to REMSI Users

1. March 1, 1994
2. October 18, 1995
3. March 1, 1996
4. July 25, 1997
5. December 17, 1997
6. April 8, 2004
7. April 28, 2006 (Slip Risers)
8. April 28, 2006 (Cabinet-Mounted Metering)
9. May 4, 2006 (See page 2-Help Us Stay Safe)
10. May 5, 2006 (Postcard)
11. June 7, 2006

To All Rules Book Holders:

Attached is your new PPL Utilities Rules for Electric Meter & Service Installations (REMSI) book. This complete revision supersedes and cancels all previous revisions.

A complete list of changes is shown in an appendix to this book. Following are some major changes:

• Customer Service telephone numbers were replace by: (610) 774-3000 and (800) 342-5775. To expedite the switchgear approval process, new Tables were added showing manufacturers' drawing numbers of switchgear metering compartments and termination compartments which have been reviewed and approved previously by PPL. Additional compartments will be added to these Tables as approved.
• New Sketch #3B was added showing use of an angle iron mast.
• Eliminated reference to cable grips. Service lateral conduit method is used to help prevent problems due to settling around the foundation.
• For single and three phase, 120/208 Volt and 120/240 Volt, underground service laterals, for self-contained meters, customer installs 3 or 4 inch conduit instead of 2-1/2 or 3-1/2 inch conduit.
• Notes on maximum ampacity of each Benelex connector were changed. Each connector can accommodate one copper or aluminum conductor up to 750 kcmil.
• Three (3) voltage transformers (VTs) are shown for 480Y/277 Volt services.
• Former Sketch #16A was reinstated: Secondary Service, Typical Arrangement of Mounting for Instrument Transformer Installation in Instrument Transformer Cabinet for Pad Mounting, 3 Phase, 4 Wire, 208Y/120 Volts or 480Y/277 Volts - 3000 Ampere Maximum Capacity Rating.
• For 3 Phase, 4 Wire, 480Y/277 Volt services, free standing switchgear or installation per Sketch #16A is required for services over 800 Amperes.
• For Sketch #27 and #28, as standard installation, for all sets of 500 and 750 kcmil cable, customer furnishes, installs, and maintains sealable metal cabinet per Sketch #54 and #54A.

R. A. Kapo
Chairman - Committee on Rules for Electric Meter & Service Installations

To All Rules Book Holders:

• Class 320, three phase, self-contained kilowatt-hour meters. These meters will be used to meter 3 phase, 4 wire, 208Y/120 volt and 3 phase, 4 wire, 240 volt delta, 400 Ampere Services.
• Class 480, three phase, self-contained kilowatt-hour meters. These meters will be used to meter 3 phase, 4 wire, 208Y/120 volt and 3 phase, 4 wire, 240 volt delta, 600 Ampere Services.

Attached is a current list of approved meter troughs, and line and load side connectors, for Class 320 and Class 480 meters. PPL will publish a revised list of Approved Meter Service Devices in the future that will include these new meter troughs.

The customer (or customer's contractor) is responsible for supplying both the line side and load side connectors. Please note that various connector options are available. For Class 480 meter troughs, the contractor must contact PPL to determine PPL's line side requirements prior to purchasing connectors.

Rule 14, paragraph (a), of PPL's Rules for Electric Meter and Service Installations Book will be revised in the future to include Class 320, 3 phase meters and Class 480, 3 phase meters.

Sincerely,

R. A. Kapo
Chairman - Committee on Rules for Electric Meter & Service Installations

To All Rules Book Holders:

Enclosed is a copy of revised (03-01-96) reference drawing CRS 1009, Requirements for Trenching and Backfilling by Customer for all 120/240V Underground Service Laterals in a Non-Joint Gas Installation. These revised specifications will become effective April 1, 1996.

Following are some major changes:

• For service laterals, the customer (or customer's contractor) either:
  • provides 4 inch flexible plastic pipe (NEMA Standard TC-5), uncoiled and laid along the trench route, or
  • installs Schedule 40 PVC conduit (UL approved) in the trench.

In either case, a pulling line must be installed in the pipe or conduit.

• The customer covers the bottom of the trench with 3 inches of select backfill before the pipe or conduit is placed in the trench.
• Select backfill can be earth removed from the trench excavation provided it is mostly soil which contains some round gravel, but no stones large than one inch in diameter.
• Trenches deeper than 48 inches required OSHA approved shoring.
• If the customer installs conduit and the conduit run turns out to be non-pullable, PPL will charge the customer for the PPL

PPL will designate the nearest practical point of delivery and the meter location for each service. If the customer requests service at a point significantly different from the point selected by the Company, PPL will charge the customer for the excess cost.

Sincerely,

R. A. Kapo
Chairman - Committee on Rules for Electric Meter & Service Installations

To All Rules Book Holders

Enclosed are copies of revised Reference Drawing CRS-1009 and new Reference Drawing CRS-1014. Both of these drawings are effective as of August 1, 1997.

CRS-1009 shows the requirements for trenching and backfilling by the customer for 120/240 volt underground service laterals in a non-joint electric/gas trench installation. Major changes include:

• Addition of flexible pipe of a twin wall construction with a smooth inside wall and corrugated outside wall as an option to Schedule 40 PVC conduit.
• Size of twin wall pipe or Schedule 40 PVC conduit to match service lateral conduit. This eliminates need for transition joints by customer.
• Phasing out of 4 inch flexible pipe option by June 30, 1998.
• Addition of pages showing details of installation at service pole or service stub marker end for both PVC conduit and flexible pipe.

CRS-1014 shows the requirements for trenching and backfilling by the customer for 120/240 volt underground service laterals in a joint electric/gas trench installation. Requirements include:

• 45 inch deep trench.
• 36 inch elbow sweeps.
• Backfill is stone screenings or sand installed from the bottom of the trench to a level above the gas facilities.
• Customer supplies and installs either Schedule 40 PVC conduit (UL approved) or flexible plastic pipe of a twin wall construction from meter service lateral to riser pole or service stub marker at property line.
• Customer installs pulling line and end seals conduit or pipe.
• Conduit or pipe same size as meter service lateral.
• Customer coordinates job between various utilities.
• Conduit or pipe must be pullable. If PPL can not pull in its conductors, customer must make conduit system pullable or pay PPL to make system useable.

REMSI sketches will be updated at next revision to reflect these changes.

R. A. Kapo
Chairman - Committee on Rules for Electric Meter & Service Installations

To: All Rules Book Holders

PPL personnel have been instructed not to enforce the “NO BELL END CONDUIT” requirement of CRS-1009 and CRS-1014 (issued 7/31/97). However, they have also been instructed to enforce the pullability penalty requirements of the two CRS’s.

PPL’s experience with pulling cable in conduit indicates joints made with couplings rather than joints made with bell end conduit result in better pullability of cable.

PPL still recommends conduit joints be made with couplings but will accept either joint in the customer’s portion of the conduit system provided PPL can pull cable in the conduit system.

If PPL can not pull cable in the system, the customer must make conduit system pullable or pay PPL to make the system useable.

R. A. Kapo
Chairman - Committee on Rules for Electric Meter & Service Installations

RE: Change Due to Adoption of Uniform Construction Code (Act 45)

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has recently adopted regulations pursuant to the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (Act 45) for a Uniform Construction Code (UCC). The UCC will assure that the Commonwealth has a uniform, modern construction code that will insure safety, health, and sanitary construction as well as promote state-of-the-art techniques and encourage cost effectiveness.

These regulations provide a certification program and establish minimum continuing education requirements for code administrators for the specific work that is to be performed. The regulations also set the time period for current code administrators to meet the certification requirements of Act 45 and provide for the registration of current code officials until these requirements are met.

April 9, 2004, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (Act 45) takes effect and all electrical inspectors and agencies must be registered or certified with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

As of May 10, 2004, PPL Electric Utilities will accept electrical inspection cut-in cards only from inspectors who are registered or certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry and whose names appear on the Department of Labor & Industry web page (http://www.dli.state.pa.us/). Both electrical inspectors and the agencies for which they work must be registered or certified.

If you have any questions, please contact Randy Kreider (610) 774-5946 or rdkreider@pplweb.com.

Sincerely,

Oliver G. Kasper
Mgr., Pricing & Contract Administrator

Re: Slip risers now required on new meters for single phase underground service

In January 2006, PPL Electric Utilities began requiring slip risers on all new single-phase underground service installations.

The slip risers are designed to protect the service if ground settling occurs. Settling or shifting can create strain on the conduit leading to the meter. The slip risers allow the conduit to compensate for the settling.

According to the National Electric Code (NEC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) no attachments are to be mounted onto the conduit, including the slip riser, going into the meter base. Stickers are being created to put on new installations to make people aware of this rule. See Sketch 55 and Sketch 55A for required clearances around the meter.

Sketch 7A illustrates the proper installation of slip risers and is found online in PPL Electric Utilities’ Rules for Electric Meter and Service Installation (REMSI).

Re: Company to require cabinet-mounted metering for overhead secondary services

Effective today (5/1/2006), PPL Electric Utilities began requiring outdoor cabinet-mounted metering for new installations involving overhead secondary services. The change from outdoor rack-mounted metering to cabinet-mounted metering will result in a number of benefits.

The cabinet and metering equipment will be accessible from ground level, eliminating the need to use a ladder or bucket truck to install, troubleshoot, inspect, repair or replace metering equipment. The cabinet also will protect metering equipment from the weather, resulting in more reliable metering.

Customers may request an exception from the Supervisor of Metering Services when space does not allow a cabinet to be installed. Exceptions should be granted only after a field investigation confirms that rack-mounted metering is the only practical option. Alternatives, such as mounting the cabinet indoors, should also be considered.

The Rules for Electric Meter and Service Installation (REMSI) have been modified to reflect these changes. New sketches have been incorporated and posted on the Web site; other new sketches will follow.

Re: No Attachments on Conduit

It has been brought to our attention that many utilities including but not limited to cable TV, internet/communication providers, and telephone companies have been using the conduit going into the electric meter base to attach their service.

In January 2006, PPL Electric Utilities began requiring conduit slip risers on all new single-phase underground service installations.

The slip risers are designed to protect the service if ground settling occurs. Settling or shifting can create strain on the conduit leading to the meter. The slip riser allows the conduit to compensate for the settling. The extra weight of other utility connections on the slip riser can cause the slip riser to move out of place and puts extra weight on the meter base and the metering equipment.

According to the National Electric Code (NEC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) no attachments are to be mounted onto the conduit, including the slip riser, going into the electric meter base.

To address the problem of utilities attaching to the electric meter base conduit PPL Electric Utilities has created stickers to put on new installations to make the public aware of this rule.

See the enclosed Sketch 7A, Sketch 55 and Sketch 55A for required clearances around the meter. More information can be found online in PPL Electric Utilities' Rules for Electric Meter and Service Installation (REMSI) website.

From one utility to another, we thank you for your cooperation and continuing support in helping PPL Electric Utilities protect our mutual customers, maintain reliability and meet the NEC and IRC Code safety requirements.

Sincerely,

Denis R. Pancoast
REMSI Chairman