Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Primary Metered Service Requirements and Procedures
Overview
This document outlines the general requirements and procedures necessary for Bandera Electric
Cooperative, Inc. (BEC) to provide primary metered services to members. A primary metered member is
defined as a member that is metered at the utility’s distribution voltage, also known as primary or medium
voltage.
In order to ensure that the guidelines contained within this document are followed, the member should
contact the BEC Distribution Design Engineering department during the design phase of new projects or as
soon as practical at (866) 226-3372 Option 2.
BEC's General Requirements
•
BEC shall install, own, operate and maintain all electric distribution facilities on the source-side or
line-side of the primary meter.
•
Due to personnel safety issues and differing design/code requirements, BEC personnel will not perform
any work on member owned facilities.
•
The member shall install, own, operate and maintain all electric distribution facilities downstream (on
the member's side) of the primary meter. Ownership includes the responsibilities of design,
permitting, procurement, installation, future replacement and ongoing maintenance. The member
will be responsible for hiring, or contracting, qualified electricians to install, operate and maintain
their equipment.
•
The member may be responsible for additional costs associated with line extensions upstream of
the primary meter due to additional load requirements.
•
The location of the primary metering equipment, and all associated utility distribution
equipment required for establishing a primary metered service, shall be coordinated with the
BEC Electric Design Distribution Engineering Department.
•
The member’s electric distribution system shall be subject to inspection and approval by BEC for the
metering, protective devices and interconnection facilities.
Design Standards
•
Construction and operation of member's facilities must be consistent with the National Electric
Safety Code (NESC).
•
The member's electric distribution system must be designed to match the BEC 12,470/7,200 or
25,000/14,400 volts grounded‐wye primary distribution system.
•
The member’s electric distribution system must be designed to prohibit “back feed” onto the
BEC electric distribution system. Any operation of the member's electric distribution system
must be coordinated with the BEC System Operations department.
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Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Primary Metered Service Requirements and Procedures
Operational Procedures
Member Contact Information
The member must provide BEC with the appropriate contact personnel for purposes of coordinating
and accessing member owned facilities containing switchgear or switchboards. The member will be
responsible for contacting the BEC System Operations Department prior to performing any work on
the member's side of the system that may impact the BEC electric distribution system. The member
must notify BEC System Operations at least 48 hours in advance at (866) 226-3372.
Switching and Tagging
These procedures help to ensure employees and contractors are safely working on electrical
equipment by incorporating a uniform method of switching and tagging. As part of these procedures,
BEC will require coordinated access to the member's main switchgear or transformer.
The member's switchgear must be capable of providing the following:
•
•
Main utility breaker capable of providing a visible open
•
A means of attaching a BEC lock during coordinated efforts, such as planned or unplanned
outages
A means for grounding-out the line side cable
Terminations
The member will be responsible for terminating their primary voltage conductors on the load‐side of
the primary metering cabinet (required only for pad‐mounted primary meter enclosures). The
primary metering cabinet shall contain a current transformer and two bushings per phase – one for
BEC and one for the member to terminate their respective conductors. The lugs on the termination
should be National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) rated. This work must be performed
by a licensed electrical contractor.
Member‐Owned Generation
BEC prefers and encourages the use of an open‐transition, non‐paralleled operation design if the
member decides to install generating facilities for standby or back‐up purposes. An Interconnection
Agreement between the member and BEC is required for any backup devices. This agreement must be
executed before parallel operation of the generating facilities can commence.
Protection Coordination & Automatic Transfer Schemes
All member owned switchgear settings and protective devices shall be designed to coordinate with the
BEC electric distribution system. Contact the BEC Distribution Design Engineering Department to provide
additional information and to ensure compliance with BEC’s Electrical Service Standards.
Energizing Equipment
Before energizing the primary metered service, the following shall be required:
•
The member must install a permanent address label on the meter-base. Meter-base
labeling must match labeling on Member's switchgear.
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Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Primary Metered Service Requirements and Procedures
•
The member should contact the BEC Distribution Engineering Department at least
two (2) weeks prior to energizing the newly constructed service. This will allow for
scheduling and coordination by all parties.
•
BEC personnel and the member's electrical contractor will perform the
following tests and inspections upon energization:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Voltage test
Phase test
Inspect terminations
Visual open capability, at approved member's location
Ability for BEC to tag and lock equipment, at approved member's location
Ability for BEC to place a ground, at approved Member's location
Continuing Operations
•
•
BEC cannot guarantee the availability or continuity of delivery of electric service.
•
In the event of a power outage, BEC will make all reasonable, safe and prudent efforts to
quickly restore power to the line side of the primary meter. Primary metered members will
be considered on a basis equal to other BEC members in determining restoration priority.
•
If the member's facilities are isolated by local fuses or other protective devices, or if it is
perceived that any damage may have occurred to the member's equipment, BEC will require a
qualified, authorized member representative to approve re‐energization of their facilities by
BEC field personnel.
•
BEC may disconnect service to any primary metered member, if at any time and in the sole
opinion of BEC, the member's facilities are presenting a public safety hazard or are causing
an adverse reliability or power quality impact to the BEC electric distribution system or to
other BEC members.
The member is responsible for providing line‐loss and surge protection systems
for their owned equipment.
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Bandera Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Primary Metered Service Requirements and Procedures
Primary Metered Rate
•
A separate rate structure may apply to primary metered electric services. Please contact the
BEC Electric Distribution Design Engineering Department for details.
Please contact the BEC Electric Distribution Design Engineering Department at (866) 226-3372 Option 2 with any
questions regarding the requirements and procedures contained in this document. Note that all requests for
member owned primary service will be reviewed and approved only for qualifying loads totaling greater than
1000 KVA three-phase. Services that are defined as larger commercial or industrial accounts would require
multiple points of service locations.
Signed and delivered this
, day of
, 20_____ .
Print Name
Title
Signature
Telephone Number
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