1. (1) Each utility shall submit to a public service commission-approved calibration facility once each year a portable digital standard watthour meter and once each 2 years a portable digital indicating voltmeter or multimeter, unless waived by the commission under the provisions of s. PSC 113.0902 (1). Smaller Class C and D utilities, may be allowed to continue to use the older electromechanical portable watthour standard for a reasonable future time period, if so authorized by the commission.

   Note: The rapid movement to the newer fully-electronic digital watthour standards by the measurement industry has limited a laboratory’s ability to get replacement parts needed to maintain and calibrate the older electromechanical standards. All utilities have been advised of the need to acquire electronic/digital standards when it is reasonably feasible to replace the older obsolete electromechanical standards.

2. (2) Each utility shall be equipped with or otherwise arrange to have available when needed, portable digital indicating and recording voltmeters having internal memory channels of an accuracy and quantity sufficient to make a determination that the service voltage supplied to their customers complies with the requirements set forth in ch. PSC 113. This instrument shall be maintained with an error no greater than 0.8% of full scale.

   Note: (1) Caution should be exercised in using digital meters in areas of high electrical fields such as in close proximity to substations, high voltage lines, transformers, regulators, etc., as unstable or erroneous readings may result.

   (2) Those utilities which operate standards laboratories will require primary or laboratory grade instruments of a higher accuracy class than required above.

3. (3) Each recording voltmeter shall be checked with an indicating voltmeter when it is placed in operation and when it is removed, or periodically if the instrument is in a permanent location. Notations for each record shall indicate when the registration began (time and date) and when the record was ended, as well as indicate the point where the voltage was taken. For non-digital recorders, also include the results of the check with an indicating voltmeter.
4. (4) Utilities with more than 1,000 customers shall have or otherwise arrange to have available when needed, one or more digital recording voltmeters with the appropriate programs to measure both the quality and quantity of the voltage and currents at the point of service. The meters shall be capable of storing the test results in such a manner as the records could be reviewed via a personal computer-based system.
5. (5) Upon customer request each utility shall make a sufficient number of voltage measurements at the point of service to verify its compliance with these rules. These voltage records, unless replaced by more recent records, shall be available for inspection by the commission for a period of 2 years

History

History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.