Rules & Regulations

Office Hours

Regular office hours at the Bath District office of Steuben Rural Electric Cooperative (the "Cooperative") are 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Regular office hours at the Cherry Creek District office of the Cooperative are 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. All offices are closed on Saturday and Sunday. The Cooperative's offices will also be closed for the following Holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• Presidents' Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Fourth of July
• Labor Day
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Day After Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day

Area Coverage

It is the desire and intention of the Cooperative to make electric service available to all persons located in the Cooperative's service area, who desire permanent service, under prevailing rates and conditions of service.

The Cooperative shall not construct extensions or additions to the system which involve a service already receiving electric service from a neighboring utility at the time of such request without the consent of the existing supplier or the consent of the Board of Directors of the Cooperative.

The Cooperative's service territory is divided into two districts, the Bath District, and the Cherry Creek District. Service coverage for these areas is as follows:

Bath District:

Steuben County: The Towns of Addison, Avoca, Bath, Bradford, Cameron, Campbell, Canisteo, Cohocton, Corning, Erwin, Fremont, Greenwood, Hornby, Hornellsville, Howard, Jasper, Lindley, Rathbone, Thurston, Troupsburg, Tuscarora, Urbana, Wayne, West Union, and Woodhull.

Schuyler County: The Town of Orange

Cherry Creek District:

Cattaraugus County: The Towns of Conewango, Dayton, Leon, Napoli, New Albion, and Randolph.

Chautauqua County: The Towns of Hanover, Arkwright, Villenova, Cherry Creek, Gerry, and Ellington.

References

• Policy 300
• Bylaws, Article IV, Section 7.

Requirements for Membership

Any person, firm, association, corporation, or body politic or subdivision thereof may become a member in Steuben Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc., (hereinafter called the "Cooperative") by:

• Filing a written application for membership therein;
• Agreeing to purchase from the Cooperative electric energy as hereinafter specified;
• Agreeing to comply with and be bound by the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Cooperative and any Rules and Regulations adopted by the Board of Directors; and
• Paying the membership fee hereinafter specified.

No member may hold more than one (1) membership in the Cooperative, and no membership in the Cooperative shall be transferable.

Membership Fee

Each applicant for membership is required to pay a $25 membership fee, nonrefundable, to the Cooperative. New membership fees are not required of former members moving to a new location.

Connection Fee

All service connections will require the member to pay a connection charge. When more than one connection is made at one location at the same time as part of one request by one member, only one connection fee will be charged. When a service transfer is made from one member to another member, a connection fee will be assessed.

Previous Bills

Any outstanding amounts which the member has previously incurred at the Cooperative for the same or any other location must be paid in full before service is established.

Deposit requirements

All deposits will be required and held consistent with Part 451, Chapter X, Title 21, NYCRR and in accordance with the following:

Nonresidential

It shall be the option of the Cooperative to require a nonresidential customer to deposit a reasonable sum of money, according to the estimated quantity of electricity necessary to supply the customer for 2 calendar month.

Residential

It shall be the option of the Cooperative to require a deposit as a condition of receiving electric service from seasonal or short-term customers and delinquent, current, residential customers. Such deposit shall be twice the average, estimated or actual monthly bill for a calendar year, except in the case of electric space heating customers, where deposits shall be twice the estimated or actual average monthly bill for the calendar year. Delinquent, current, residential customers shall be provided with written notice at least 20 days before the Cooperative may assess a deposit and shall be permitted to pay the assessed deposit in installments over a period not to exceed 12 months. In no instance shall the Cooperative require a deposit from any customer that the Cooperative knows is 62 years of age or older or is a recipient of public assistance, SSI, or additional State payments.

Deposit Interest

Interest at the rate prescribed by the New York Power Authority or better shall be credited to the customer's deposit record monthly.

Return of Deposit

Deposits shall be refunded to any customer who remains nondelinquent for 12 consecutive months. Return of deposits shall be applied directly to the customer's accounts receivable balance and displayed on the customer's billing statement.

Other Charges

Any amount due for extension of lines, installation of service and laterals or advance payment of minimum charges, under any provisions of the Rules and Regulations, shall be paid before service will be established.

Right-Of-Way on Members Properties

Each member shall grant to the Cooperative an easement right-of-way across the member's property, in a location to b agreed upon in advance between the member and the Cooperative, for the purposes of erection, maintenance and replacement of electric transmission and distribution lines.

Wiring Inspections

Each applicant shall be responsible for an approved wiring inspection. Wiring diagrams are included as Appendix A. In no case will a service be established or re-established or energized until the wiring installation on the member's premises shall have been found in compliance with the National Electric Code standards. Compliance with the National Electric Code shall be the responsibility of the members through a Cooperative approved inspection agency. Such an agency shall provide the Cooperative with a certificate as proof of compliance. Members are advised that any additions or alterations to an existing wiring system will void such certificates unless inspection procedure is followed for such additions or alterations.

References

• Bylaws, Article I, Section I
• Bylaws, Article I, Section V
• Bylaws, Article XI, Section III
• Policy 322
• Policy 302
• Policy 306

Disconnect Request by the Member

The member may discontinue service at any time by giving notice to the Cooperative. The member shall be responsible for any metered electric usage until discontinuance or disconnection of service is made by the Cooperative or a 3-day period, whichever occurs first. The request from a member to discontinue service can only be received by the account holder and such person's information shall be verified by the Cooperative prior to placing the disconnect order. When service has been discontinued at the request of the member and the same member applies for reconnection of service, there will be a reconnection charge, plus applicable tax.

Disconnect by the Cooperative

The Cooperative may discontinue service immediately and without notice if the member's wiring is found to be in a dangerous and unsafe condition or, if necessary, to protect the Cooperative from fraud.

Disconnects for nonpayment shall be performed in accordance with the Cooperative's Disconnect Procedures for Delinquent Accounts Manual, located in Appendix B.

All disconnect procedures shall comply with New York State Codes, Rules and Regulations, Title 21, Chapter X, Part 459, Procedures for Notice of Discontinuance of Electric Service.

References

• Policy 322

Point of Attachment

The point of attachment of service or meter location shall be determined by the Cooperative, such point to be as near the load center as economical practice may dictate and in accordance with the National Electric Code. All wiring equipment beyond the weather head (point of attachment),except the meter, shall be maintained by the member.

The clearance from the ground to the point of attachment of the Cooperative's wires to the weather head shall not be less than the National Electric Code clearance of 12 feet. Circumstances may require greater clearance. Any violations shall be remedied at the cost to the member that caused noncompliance with the National Electric Code.

Service Connection Specifications

Service connections shall follow the specifications set forth in Appendix A for common services. The following is general guidance for service connections:

Primary Service Connections - The Cooperative shall determine specifications for primary service connections on a case-by-case basis.

Overhead Service to Meter Pole - A meter pole shall be installed at a convenient point for the member's load distribution, from which point it shall be the member's responsibility to supply and install the conductors to the various structures to be served. The Cooperative shall install and maintain all service poles, including meter poles. The meter pole remains the property of the Cooperative. The Cooperative shall install and maintain the service to the point of attachment and for the metering device. The members shall install all wires and equipment from the Cooperative's meter to the Cooperative's point of attachment.

Overhead Service to Building or Structure - The Cooperative shall install and maintain the service wire to the point of attachment and the metering device. The member shall install and maintain all wire and equipment to the point of attachment.

Underground Service to Building, Structure or Pole - The member shall install and maintain all wire and equipment indicated as member equipment on the attached drawings, Appendix A.

Equipment Location and Access to Equipment

Any properly identified employee of the Cooperative shall have access to the member's premises at all reasonable times for the purpose of reading meters, testing, or inspecting the member's load and equipment, repairing, removing, or exchanging any or all equipment belonging to the Cooperative.

The meter shall be located between 5 and 6 feet from the ground at an outside location that is readily accessible for reading. An authorized representative of the Cooperative will determine the acceptability of the meter location in all cases. Any violations shall be remedied at the cost of the member.

Member's Responsibility for Cooperative Property

All meters, service connections, poles and other equipment furnished by the Cooperative, shall be and shall remain the property of the Cooperative. The members shall provide space for and exercise proper care of said property on their premises. In the event of loss or damage to said property arising from negligent acts on the part of the consumer, the cost of necessary repairs or replacements shall be borne by the member, to be billed at cost.

References

• Policy 305

Single-Phase, Non-risk, Permanent, Residential Service

A residential service will be considered permanent if it meets one of the following requirements:

1. Installed well and septic approved by the local Code Enforcement Officer;
2. Installed permanent foundation, defined by the Cooperative as a footer with either a four-foot (4') masonry block or poured four-foot (4') concrete wall;
3. Installed concrete slab with a minimum area of 700 sq. ft.
4. Installed building with a minimum area of 700 sq. ft. of combined living space that is conditioned with heating and/or cooling as necessary with a minimum clearance of 7' in all walking areas.

Permanent Single-Phase Residential Service

A portion of the cost of any single-phase line extension for a permanent residential service shall be borne by the Member under the following conditions:

1. Where such line extension is OVERHEAD construction (any combination of primary or secondary overhead), the Cooperative shall estimate the cost of the line construction at $18.00 per foot. All footage is calculated based on the sum total of both primary and secondary overhead line. The Cooperative shall be responsible for the first $4,000 of the overhead line extension. Any amounts in addition to the $4,000 shall be paid by the Member as a non-refundable contribution in aid of construction.
    
2. Where a member shall request UNDERGROUND PRIMARY service, the member shall pay to the Cooperative a non-refundable contribution in aid of construction fee of $17.00 per foot for labor for the entire distance, plus the cost of materials. Estimates shall be valid for a 30-day period. The Member also agrees to provide the trenching at a depth of forty-eight inches (48") and backfilling of the trench. The Cooperative will supply the warning ribbon to be installed by the Member in the trench. The Cooperative will supply and install all other required primary underground facilities required for the new service. The Member is require to provide and install all secondary underground facilities per the Cooperative's standards and specification and the line extension policy.
    
3. Where a Member shall request SECONDARY UNDERGROUND service, the following shall apply:
   • Such an installation shall be made to comply with the National Electrical Code and other applicable local regulations and in accordance with the specification provided by the Cooperative.
   • The meter base will be supplied by the Cooperative and installed by the Member.
   • The Member is responsible for providing and installing the proper URD wire for the size of their service that meets the National Electric Code and for providing and installing the appropriate PVC conduit for that wire size. However, the minimum conduit size shall be two inches (2").
   • The secondary PVC conduit and wire must be trenched at a depth that complies with the National Electric Code.
   • In the case of secondary wire connecting to a pad mount transformer, the last ten (10) feet of trench next to the pad mount transformer must be left open and properly barricaded to meet OSHA requirements for the Cooperative's workers to have room to make connections. After the transformer connections have been made by the Cooperative, the Member is responsible for backfilling the trench opening. Enough secondary wire shall be installed by the Member to make the transformer connection.
   • In the case of secondary wire connecting to a pole, enough wire to make proper connection to the Cooperative's distribution facilities on the pole shall be left by the Member for the Cooperative to make the final connections to their distribution facilities. The member is responsible for providing conduit extending up the pole.
   • The Cooperative will make only one trip to make the hook-up to its distribution facilities at no cost to the Member, and in the event more than one trip is needed the Member will pay for each additional trip according to the Cooperative's Schedule of Fixed Charges, located in Appendix C, with such payment to be made in advance.
   • The Member shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of their secondary underground facilities at all times. The Cooperative will make repairs of these facilities only at the Member's request and bill the Member to recover the Cooperative's cost of labor and material to make the repair.
   • In the event of failure of the secondary underground service, the Cooperative will make an effort to provide a temporary service to the building until the underground service is repaired, but in no event will the temporary service be for longer than seven days.
      
4. The following guidelines are used in calculating the length of the line extension for purposes of determining the appropriate contribution in aid of construction fee:
   • The length of an overhead line extension for the purposes of this policy will be determined at the time the line is staked utilizing a measuring wheel or GPS.
   • The length of a primary underground line extension for the purpose of this policy will be determined based on the installed wire length.
   • The Cooperative will determine the route for the line extension based on the most economical engineering design, considering available routes and access to the line extension.
   • A "mixed" primary overhead and primary underground line service extension will not be constructed by the Cooperative unless there is a valid engineering reason.
      
5. A Member must pay all past due amounts, 50% of the total amount of any contribution in aid of construction and membership fee to the Cooperative before any construction begins. If only a connect fee applies, then this will be billed on the Member's first bill.
    
6. The Member shall execute a right-of-way easement to the Cooperative to permit the construction, maintenance, repair, replacement, and extension, if necessary, of the electric power line.

Non-Permanent Service

A service connection is considered a non-permanent service when there is no evidence of permanency as defined in Section A for a permanent service. Members requesting non-permanent service are subject to the following conditions:

1. All provisions of the line extension policy will apply except that no free footage allowance will be offered for any line extension.
2. The Member shall pay in advance for the removal costs of the transformer, service drop and meter according to the Cooperative's Schedule of Fixed Charges, located in Appendix C;
3. The Member shall pay in advance one year's customer charge.
4. The Member must pay all past due amounts, 50% of the total amount of the contribution in aid of construction and membership fee, the facility removal cost and one year of customer charges to the Cooperative before any construction will begin.

Temporary Service

Temporary services shall be installed by the members and must be inspected by a Cooperative approved electrical inspector before being energized. The member must pay one year of customer charges in advance and will be assessed a trip fee.

All Three-Phase, Commercial, Industrial, and Processing Plant Service Line Extensions

These will be considered on an individual basis because of their significant construction differences. The entire cost of the line extension shall be the responsibility of the Member. An estimate of his cost will be provided before construction begins and 50% payment of the construction estimate will be required prior to beginning any construction.

Subdivisions and Housing Developments

Where a developer shall request service to a subdivision or housing development, the following shall apply:

1. The developer shall work with the Cooperative in completing a study of the methods of providing service to determine the most economical engineering design.
2. Before planning can begin, a design fee per lot will be required according to the Cooperative's Schedule of Fixed Charges, located in Appendix C, with such payment to be made in advance. This non-refundable fee will be credited toward future engineering/construction costs for the project.
3. The developer shall provide the Cooperative with a subdivision plan, showing all lots, streets, and other man-made and natural features. In addition, the developer will need to provide an estimate of the size and type of homes, including an indication of the probable heating, air conditioning, and water heating systems for the subdivision.
4. The Cooperative reserves the right to determine requirements for adequate service, including type of conductor and size, burial method and depth, routing of primary underground and overhead facilities, and requirements to extend, change or relocate present Cooperative primary distribution lines.
5. The developer shall execute a right-of-way easement to the Cooperative to permit the construction, maintenance, repair, replacement, and extension, if necessary, of the electric power line.
6. The developer will be required to pay all costs associated with extending service from existing Cooperative primary distribution facilities. All other provisions stated elsewhere in these rules and regulations in regard to the installation of primary underground and secondary underground facilities apply.
7. During the five-year period immediately following the date of payment of any contribution in aid of construction payment associated with a line extension to the Cooperative, the Cooperative will make refunds without interest up to $500 for each permanent service that directly connects to the line extension associated with the contribution in aid of construction payment. Such refunds will only be made to the original contributor and will not include any amount of contribution in aid of construction for underground service. The total refunds shall not exceed the contribution in aid of construction payment made by the original contributor minus $500.

Right-Of-Way Easements

Whenever practicable, distribution electric lines owned by the Cooperative will be constructed on rights-of-way secured by easements granted by private landowners. It is the responsibility of the individual, corporation, or developer requesting electric service to procure all rights-of-way required prior to the commencement of any electric line construction.

Where a distribution line is to be constructed, rights-of-way are required from each landowner through which the line will traverse. The Cooperative requires each member/prospective member to execute an easement on the Right-of-Way Easement Form provided by the Cooperative. Additionally, the member/prospective member shall be required to secure all necessary rights-of-way from adjacent property owners upon whose land it is necessary to locate the lines.

The Cooperative will discuss plans for location of lines and other related facilities with each landowner; however, it remains the responsibility of the member/prospective member to secure all required easements on behalf of the Cooperative.

The Cooperative, by way of fully executed and recorded Right-of-Way Easement Form, has the right to license, permit, apportion and/or sign in whole or in part to arrange for the joint use or occupancy of the pole line or trench and related facilities, by any other person, association, or corporation, including but not limited to cable television and communications suppliers.

Right-Of-Way Clearing

The Cooperative must ensure the rights-of-ways are completely cleared of vegetation, buildings, structures or other in the corridor the electric line is to be constructed. The specified right-of-way widths for varying construction types are as follows:

1. Primary overhead line - thirty (30) foot wide strip (fifteen (15) feet each side of centerline)
2. Primary underground cable - twenty (20) foot wide strip (ten (10) feet each side of centerline)
3. Secondary overhead/underground wire - ten (10) foot wide strip (five (5) feet each side of centerline)

The Cooperative hires professional tree trimming companies to both maintain existing rights-of-way and establish new rights-ow-way for new electric facilities. These companies are professional, fully insured, and completely familiar with the Cooperative's right-of-way specifications. Prospective members requesting new service are encouraged to have the Cooperative contracted tree companies establish new right-of-way corridors.

Members/prospective members have the option to establish new right-of-way corridors on their own property ONLY. The new right-of-way corridor must be cut to the Cooperative's specifications and is subject to inspection by Cooperative's personnel. Now new electric facilities will be constructed until the right-of-way corridor meets the Cooperative's line cutting specifications.

References

• Policy 301
• Policy 302

General

The Cooperative shall own and furnish all meters used for member billing. All meters are to be sealed internally and externally. All seal numbers are recorded as a part of the member's account information. Only authorized Cooperative personnel are permitted to cut and remove a seal. Any unauthorized removal of the Cooperative's meter or seal shall be considered tampering.

Smart Meters and Smart Meter Opt-Out

The Cooperative utilizes smart meters for its AMI system. The Cooperative's system is a powerline carrier, which means that information is transmitted over powerline as opposed to radio frequency or other methods. New installations and replacements of mechanical meters will be done with smart meters.

The Cooperative will replace an AMI meter with a non-AMI meter (mechanical or digital) upon the receipt of a written request from the member that indicates the member wishes to opt-out of the AMI metering system used by the Cooperative and agrees to all associated charges. Replacement of an AMI meter will require the member to pay a $75 bi-monthly fee to cover the costs of a site visit to read the non-AMI meter.

Meter Location

The meter shall be located between 5 and 6 feet from the ground at an outside location that is readily accessible for reading. An authorized representative of the Cooperative will determine the acceptability of the meter's location in all cases. Any violations shall be remedied at the cost of the member.

Meter Readings

For billing purposes, the Cooperative will read all its meters with its AMI system on the last day of each month. Other types of meters will be read by a Cooperative employee on or near the last day of each month.

Meter Testing

Cooperative Meter Testing or Meter Change - The Cooperative shall perform accuracy testing or have a manufactures certificate of accuracy on all meters prior to installation. All meters in service may be tested for accuracy or changed at any time by the Cooperative.

Member Requested Testing - A member may request the Cooperative to test any meter believed to be registering incorrectly. The member shall be assess a meter test charge. The meter test charge is nonrefundable unless the meter if found to be registering charges at a rate 2 percent of the correctly calibrated rate. For improperly running meters, an adjustment will be made for 90 days prior to the date the meter problem was reported. Any adjustment shall be made on the next billing.

Non-registering Meters - Any meter found to be not registering or registering improperly shall be replaced with another tested meter. If a basis for estimation exists, the kWh usage shall be estimated from previous consumption and billing adjusted to reflect this estimation.

Meter Tampering

Tampering in any manner with the property of the Cooperative to affect bypass of the metering device or meter is a legal offense and is cause for legal prosecution. Service may not reconnected if there is evidence of tampering until such service is inspected by a Cooperative approved electrical inspector. The member shall be assessed the amount which the Cooperative may estimate is due for service supplied but not registered on the Cooperative's meter and for such replacement and repair as necessary, as well as the cost for inspection, investigation, and court proceedings.

References

• Policy 308
• Policy 309
• Policy 310

General

The Cooperative will maintain a 24-hour dispatching service and a 24-hour line maintenance crew. All calls from members regarding power failures may be called into the outage line at (800)843-3414. All outages will be taken care of as quickly as possible. All power failures, line or equipment damage that threatens the safety of the public or damage to property will be given priority treatment.

Non-Outage Charges

Stand-by crews are maintained to provide emergency repair service as far as Cooperative lines and equipment are concerned. Frequently members call us for repairs on member-owned equipment, which is the responsibility of the member. When service crews are dispatched and the necessary repairs are found to be the members' responsibility, a service charge of the Cooperative's labor and material costs plus tax may be assessed. When practical, the Cooperative's Operations Manager or designee shall listen to call recordings to determine if members were appropriately notified of the risks of costs, they may incur if the trouble is "on the member side." In cases where members are not appropriately notified, the Operations Manager may utilize his judgement as to whether the member should be billed for the call-out.

Liability

The Cooperative shall endeavor to provide a regular and uninterrupted supply of electric service. In the event the supply of service is interrupted, irregular, defective or fails from cause beyond its control due to fire, flood or act of God, the Cooperative shall not be liable for any damages.

The Cooperative shall not be held for any injury, casualty or damage caused by the supply of or use of electricity or by the operation of the Cooperative structures, conductors, and allied equipment on the member's premises unless such injury, casualty or damage is proven to have been caused by the negligence of the Cooperative.

Planned Outages

With the exception of emergency maintenance, the Cooperative shall endeavor to notify by mail or otherwise, three (3) days in advance, all consumers who will be affected when an interruption of service is planned and expected to last one hour or more for the purpose of making changes or repairs.

No service will be extended to any premises, meter pole, house, barn, camp or building until such time as there is written evidence that the wiring and service entrance equipment on such premises or on such meter pole, house, barn, camp or building has been properly inspected by an authorized inspector approved by the Cooperative. The cost of this inspection will be borne by the member.

Should an employee observe any condition of wiring that might prove hazardous or dangerous to life or property where service is supplied by the Cooperative, such employee will report such condition to the Operations Department immediately. The Operations Department is then responsible for seeing that an inspection is made within 5 days. If such wiring condition is found hazardous to life or property, the owner of the premises shall be notified immediately with recommendation for corrective measures. If the necessary corrective measures are not made within 30 days, service shall be discontinued immediately. Depending on the severity of the issue, the Cooperative reserves the right to immediate termination of service if the condition is life threatening.

The Cooperative's undertaking extends only to the point of attachment. The member is warned of the risk of damage from fire or personal injury resulting from improper wiring and the manner of attachment of use and maintenance of electric appliances, fixtures, and equipment. It is advised only experienced and competent electricians should install or make any changes, alterations, additions, or repairs to any part of the members' installation.

The Cooperative complies with the New York State Energy Conservation Construction Standards for the minimum insulation and health system standards for existing dwellings, commercial buildings and mobile homes converting to electric heat. A copy of these standards is included in Appendix D and is available from the Cooperative upon request. Town code enforcement officers may require inspection for new construction.

General

Any change in location of poles, lines, service entrance, metering devices or other allied equipment of the Cooperative from existing installations shall be made by Cooperative personnel.

Member Requested Relocation

If such change in primary or secondary facilities is requested by a member and is solely for the member's benefit, the member shall be required to pay for such relocation cost at prevailing labor rates and for such additional material to the original installation as may be required to make such relocation. It shall be the right of the Cooperative, at its discretion, to require a deposit in advance of such change, the amount being a sum based on the estimated cost of materials and labor.

Relocation for Violation of National Electric Safety Codes

If such change in primary or secondary facilities is required due to a violation of the National Electric Safety Code that is caused by the member, the member shall be required to pay for such relocation cost at prevailing labor rates and for such additional material to the original installation as may be required to make such relocation. It shall be the right of the Cooperative, at its discretion, to require a deposit in advance of such change, the amount being a sum based on the estimated cost of materials and labor.

References

• Policy 310

General

To facilitate safety and maintain reliable electric service, the Cooperative schedules right-of-way clearing in a members' area every 6-8 years. The Cooperative used an Integrated Vegetation Management ("IVM") program to maintain system rights-of-way. IVM implements a combination of management strategies tailored to the specific needs of the Cooperative, The result is the most cost effective, safe, and environmentally friendly approach to right-of-way maintenance for our members. The Cooperative's IVM program is overseen by a degreed system Forester/ISA Certified Arborist. Our methodology involves implementing forestry procedures to selectively designate trees for removal and tree trimming. Manual tree trimming and removal techniques are combined with mechanical clearing techniques to provide the most efficient means of removing undesirable vegetation from the Cooperative's right-of-way. Low volume, selective herbicides are utilized, whenever possible, as the most cost-effective way to minimize regenerations of undesirable species within the right-ow-way. Low grow, beneficial, utility friendly vegetation is encouraged to replace invasive and aggressive species that negatively impact the Cooperative's infrastructure. A successful IVM program is a long-term program that requires less vegetation management over time. Only certified contractors perform routine right-of-way tree work.

Work is scheduled by substation circuit and is affected by budget capabilities. Unless a significant hazard to the overhead primary line is identified, we do not perform tree work outside the scheduled circuit. Work is limited to trees that affect overhead primary lines. We do not routinely trim or remove trees affecting a members' service line. Upon request the Cooperative will unhook a service line to allow a professional tree crew to remove or trim a tree in a safe manner.

On occasion due to imminent hazard, storm, outage, or necessity, a line crew may trim or remove a tree. It should be noted that best management practices are not always possible in these situations.

Trees are selected for removal or trim based on an educated decision from our system Forester. Growth rates and tree species are contributing factors as to whether a tree will be removed, trimmed, or left alone. In most cases, a member will be given the opportunity to discuss pending tree work with our Forester. The Cooperative makes every effort to ensure that members are contacted prior to work being performed on your property. Herbicide will not be applied without consent from the land owner.

All routine tree trimming is to be in conjunction with industry standards set forth by ANSI A300 guidelines prepared by the Tree Care Industry Association. Industry "best practices" supported by the International Society of Arboriculture and United State Forest Service are adhered to under most circumstances.

Key Terminology

Tree - A tree is a stem(s) of a woody plant that has a 4-inch diameter breast height (dbh) or larger.

Brush - Brush is any plant that has less than 4-inch diameter.

Removal - A removal is any plant that has a 4-inch diameter that has been identified to be removed.

Trim - A trim is any plant that has a 4-inch diameter breast height (dbh) and is identified to have branches trimmed for line clearance.

Tree Cleanup and Wood Disposal

As part of our routine right-of-way maintenance, the Cooperative will chip branches from trees removed in yards and manicured areas. Wood too big to be chipped will be left in manageable pieces or in one log length upon request. In un-manicured areas and woodlots, branches will be diced off the right-of-way to allow for minimal debris and promote decomposition. Logs will be left on top of diced branches against the tree line or perpendicular to the ROW in the woodlot.

Storm, Hazard, or Emergency Cleanup

When a storm event happens, crews are focused on restoring power. Homeowners are responsible for removing all wood debris including branches and trees that Cooperative removes in order to expedite electric service restoration.

Member Tree Trimming Requests and Safety Tips

When a member requests a tree be trimmed or removed the system Forester, Operations Manager, or other representative will come and assess the tree(s) in question. If the assessor agrees the tree is a threat that cannot be safely addressed by a private tree service, then the tree will be placed on a list which is based on urgency of removal. Cooperative personnel or subcontractors will make arrangements to cut the tree below the neutral wire. The homeowner is then responsible for hiring a private tree company to finish the removal of the tree and clean up the material on the ground.

When trimming or removing a tree, it is the member's responsibility to contact the Cooperative before trimming or removing any tree that could hit the power line if removed improperly. It is not necessarily the Cooperative's responsibility to remove or trim questionable trees. If a tree is not hazardous to the overhead primary line and can be safely trimmed or removed by a certified professional tree company, then it is the homeowner's responsibility to hire a professional. For help determining if a tree is the Cooperative's or the homeowner's responsibility, please contact the system, Forester.

Billing Dates and Meter Readings

Billing shall occur on the 11th business day of each month, following the receipt of the power bill from the New York Power Authority. The mailing of the bills shall occur on the 12th business day of each month.

For billing purposes, the Cooperative will read all its meters with its automatic meter reading system on the last day of each month. Other types of meter will be read by a Cooperative employee on or near the last day of each month.

Payment Due Dates, Penalties and Methods

Bills are to be paid on or before the 5th of each month after the bills are generated. After the 10th of the month after the bills are generated, there will be a penalty of 1.5% APR applied to any unpaid account receivable balance. The Cooperative is not responsible, under any circumstances, for bills lost in the mail or otherwise.

Payment of bills an be made through any of the following:

District Offices - Payments can be made at either of our district offices in person or through our drop box. Payment methods accepted in person can be in cash, money order, check, or credit card (visa, MasterCard or Discover). Payments of cash or credit card through the drop box will not be processed and will be returned to members as received.

IVR Secure Phone Payment - The IVR system offers you a secure and convenient payment method by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 607-776-4161 or 1-800-843-3414 and selection option 2 for IVR Payments. Pay your bill using credit cards (Visa, MasterCard or Discover) or checking account.

Mail - Mailing payment in the envelope enclosed with your bill. If you are mailing in your payment, please allow plenty of time for delivery before the due date. Payments of cash or credit card through the mail will not be processed and will be returned to members as received.

Online Payment - Payments through our SmartHub platform allow members the option to securely pay their bills using credit cards (Visa, MasterCard or Discover) or through an electronic check payment. Autopay options are also available through our SmartHub platform.

All credit card payments are processed through secured devices using encryption.

Billing Disputes

Any member who disputes a bill, charge, or fee, or has concern with respect to the effect of any Cooperative policy, procedure, or practice on that member, that is not fully resolved through dialogue with Cooperative staff, may appear by appointment before the Cooperative Board of Directors and present his or her dispute or concern. The members should be prepared to provide testimony, documents or any other support that would be useful to the Board in understanding the dispute or concern. The Board shall have up to thirty (30) days to provide the members with a written response, stating its conclusions and, if appropriate, proposed remedy. The determination of the Board shall be final, except that a member may appeal to the New York Power Authority if the member believes that the Cooperative has acted contrary to its own articles of incorporation, bylaws, policies, rules, or regulations, or in a manner inconsistent with its contractual and or statutory obligations.

Service Tariffs

Service tariffs and rate schedules for all the Cooperative's rate classes can be found in Appendix E.

Rate Setting

The Board of Directors can act by a majority vote to change the rates and rate schedules offered by the cooperative under the following procedures:

• If the rate change is equal to or less than 2 percent increase for the typical (1000kWh per month) Schedule 1 (residential and farm) member, then the rate increase can be implemented on the first of the month immediately after it is announced in The Energizer newsletter which will be included in the members' bill. It will be customary practice, but not required, to announce the increase in the January bills. This will be a special edition of The Energizer for this purpose. The customary, but not required, increase date will be April 1, after the winter heating season. If in the judgement of the Board increased are needed at other times and under more immediate conditions, the customary announcement shown above will revert to the more rapid, required notice as detailed above.
   
• If the rate increase is greater than 2 percent for the typical Schedule 1 member, then the Board will hold hearings (one at the Bath Office and one at the Cherry Creek Office) for members and incorporate comments at the hearings in their decision to increase rates. The hearings shall be announced in the official newspapers, as designated by the Board and in The Energizer. The announcements in the official newspapers shall be made at least 10 days, but not more than 21 days before the hearing. After the hearings, the Board shall determine the increase and announce the increase in The Energizer to be effective on the first of the month immediately following the announcement.

Fees for services that are contained in the Schedule of Fees, located in Appendix C, may be increased by the Board from time to time and will be effective upon announcement in The Energizer, to be effective on the first of the month immediately following the announcement.

Dishonored Checks

When dishonored checks are returned from the bank, the member will be notified by a letter requesting that the dishonored check, plus a $30.00 handling charge, be paid. After 3 dishonored checks are received by the Cooperative from a member, all electric bills thereafter shall be paid by cash, cashier check or money order.

Combined Billing for Multiple Accounts

The rates applied to the various Cooperative rate schedules for electric service are based on providing service to one member through one meter for one premise. Service measured at different points of delivery shall not be, in any case, combined for billing purposes.

Budget Billing

Any member receiving Service Rate Schedule 1, Farm and Residential Service, may request monthly budget billing. The monthly budget bill shall be determined by the previous annual kWh usage and related energy charges. Monthly budget bills are payable as nondelinquent until and including the 10th day of the month immediately following billing. Any underpayment or overpayment of actual energy charges shall be treated as nondelinquent, permitted that the budget billing payment is made on a timely basis. Members who are late on payment 3 time while enrolled in budget billing will be removed from the budget billing plan and all accounts receivable shall be due immediately. Budget billing shall be adjusted annually to reflect the actual kWh usage and related energy charges. The Cooperative shall assess each member's budget billing status on a quarterly basis and reserves the right to adjust the monthly budget amount as determined necessary.

Levelized Billing

Any member receiving service in accordance with Rate Schedule 1, Farm and Residential Service, may request monthly levelized billing. The monthly levelized billing amount shall be determined by averaging the member's current monthly energy charges and the previous 11 months of energy charges. Monthly levelized billing statements are payable as nondelinquent until and including the 10th day of the month immediately following the billing. Any underpayment or overpayment of actual energy charges shall be treated as nondelinquent, permitted that the levelized billing payment is made on a timely basis. Members who are late on payment 3 times while enrolled in levelized billing will be removed from the levelized billing plan and all accounts receivable shall be due immediately.

Refunds of Overpaid Accounts

It is the policy of the Cooperative, Inc. to refund to a member an amount overpaid by the member upon request or when the service is no longer active. Any request received from a member to discontinue service can be made by phone, in writing, or through electronic communication and shall be documented by Cooperative personnel. Reimbursements approved by the Board of Directors shall be processed and paid to the member within 30 days. Reimbursements not approved by the Board of Directors will result in written explanation to the member.

References

• Policy 218
• Policy 308
• Policy 331

General

Electric service is not generally supplies under any rate schedule for resale, re-metering or sub-metering or other disposition to tenants or occupants. Any member may furnish electric energy for the use of tenants or occupants provided the member shall not resell, make a specific charge for, re-meter, sub-meter or measure any of the electric energy redistributed or furnished, except as specifically allowed by the New York Power Authority. Requests for New York Power Authority approval may be made through the Cooperative.

References

• Policy 319

These Rules and Regulations of the Cooperative may be altered, amended, or repealed from time to time as becomes necessary to retain the proper relationship between the Cooperative and its members and to provide economical and dependable electric service. Such alterations, amendments or repeal shall be approved by the Board of Directors of the Cooperative and be consistent will all rules, regulations and laws that apply to the Cooperative.