SECTION I

OVERHEAD RESIDENTIAL SERVICE

  1. PURPOSE
  2. This section describes the installation of an overhead electrical service to a residence with the meter installed on the house. Overhead service consists of poles and wires installed from the nearest Surprise Valley Electrification Corp. (SVEC) line across your property to your residence. Service will be provided in accordance with SVEC's Line Extension Policy.

  3. LIMITS
  4. The typical single family residential service consist of a transformer pole, service wire, and a 200 amp meter base installed on your house. The following limits apply to this type of service.

    The typical maximum size self-contained meter base that can be installed on a single residence is limited to 200 amps. If your requirements are greater than 200 amps, please contact SVEC.

    The length of the electrical service should be limited to no more than 200 feet. The reason for this limit is voltage drop or loss in the service wire to the house. Should the length of service be such that it would prove electrically prohibitive, a transformer and primary extension may be required.

  5. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

You are responsible for furnishing, installing, and maintaining the following equipment.

    1. The riser conduit; a minimum 2 inch diameter rigid steel electrical conduit.
    2. Service entrance wire; this wire is installed from the meter base to the weather head on the riser conduit. Minimum 18" leads to extend from the weatherhead from connection to SVEC's service wire.
    3. A weatherhead installed on top of the riser conduit.
    4. The meter base and main breaker.
    5. One 8 foot ground rod. (Two ground rods spaced 6 feet apart in Oregon.)
    6. You must arrange for the county to inspect and approve the installation of this equipment before SVEC will connect the service.

This equipment must be installed in accordance with local, state and national electrical codes. The county inspection verifies compliance with these codes with the meter base is inspected.

  1. SVEC'S RESPONSIBILITY
  2. SVEC will furnish and install the service drop wires, and poles needed to support this wire, connectors and the meter.

  3. SERVICE AND METER LOCATION

All meter locations will be approved be SVEC prior to construction. The preferred location for the meter base is a wall facing the nearest SVEC pole line. This location keeps the length of the service to a minimum, providing the lowest cost and best power quality. The meter shall not be located in an enclosed area, such as a porch or garage, and shall be accessible to SVEC personal at all times, The Location of the service must also consider the clearance of the wires over driveways and roads. These clearances are required by safety codes for the protection of all.

The service wire must not go over any other buildings on you property. This helps prevent accidental contact with these wires and is for your safety.

Please contact SVEC early in the process of planning and designing your residence. This allows us to agree on a meter location, which meets both our needs before construction has started. A change in the meter location after construction has started can be costly. You may be required to relocate the meter base or accept a longer, more expensive route for installation of the electrical service, which would be at your expense.

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