The information in this booklet is provided to assist
in planning your meter area requirements. Actual field
conditions may result in additional requirements.
For more information, please contact the ATCO Gas
office in your area.
Contents
General Requirements
Location
Size
Inlet and Outlet Piping
Protection
Security
Electrical
Automatic Meter Reading (AMR)
For Additional Information
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General Requirements
• Legal description and service address of the property/building to be
serviced is required.
• An adequate meter area must be provided at no cost to ATCO Gas to install
metering and regulating equipment, regardless of whether it is a new
facility or an expansion to an existing facility. A meter area is the space set
aside outside the building for metering and regulating equipment.
• The meter area must not be used for any other purpose.
• The meter area must be accessible at all times to authorized ATCO Gas
personnel.
• The installation of the meter, regulator and house line must conform to
the Alberta Building Code, CAN/CSA-Z662, CAN/CGA-B149.1, the Alberta
Safety Codes Act and the Alberta Gas Code Regulations.
• Prior approval must be obtained from ATCO Gas when a Header Set is required.
• All meters, regulators, reliefs, bypasses, pipe and fittings installed by
ATCO Gas remains the property of ATCO Gas.
Location
• Meter must be outside
• The meter area must be adjacent to the building within the customer’s
property.
• Clear, unobstructed access is required to the meter area at all times.
• Location of the meter area at final grade is critical.
• Suitable provision, if required, must be made by the Mechanical Contractor to
extend the regulator and/or relief vent lines to meet the specifications in the
CAN/CSA B149.1,Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code.
Size
• The minimum size of the meter area will be determined by ATCO Gas for
each installation, based on gas load, inlet and outlet pressure, regulation
equipment, and the number and type of meters.
• Special applications require consultation with ATCO Gas prior to continuing
with the installation.
• Using the meter size for the appropriate flow rate, the required meter area
size can be determined.
1
Meter Area Size (Elevated Pressure)
Total Load
Distance
Between
Service Riser
and House
Line
Unobstructed Area
Required
Length
Width
G
H
Width of Space
to Right of
House Line
/Left of Riser
House Line
Distance from
Finished Wall
I
Height
of House
Line from
Finished
Grade
J
K
28 m³/h
(1,000 cfh)
24 - 36”
(0.6 - 0.9 m)
48 - 60”
36”
(1.2 - 1.5 m) (0.9 m)
12”
(0.3 m)
6”
(0.15 m)
48”
(1.2 m)
28 - 142 m³/h
(1,001 - 5,000 cfh)
36 - 48”
(0.9 - 1.2 m)
88”
(2.2 m)
36”
(0.9 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
48”
(1.2 m)
142 - 228 m³/h
(5,001 - 8,000 cfh)
72 - 84”
(1.8 - 2.1 m)
112 - 124” 60”
(2.8 - 3.1 m) (1.5 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
Requires
site visit by
ATCO Gas
228 - 651 m³/h
(8,001 - 23,000 cfh)
96 - 144”
(2.4 - 3.6 m)
136 - 184” 60”
(3.5 - 4.7 m) (1.5 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
24”
(0.6 m)
Requires
site visit by
ATCO Gas
Width of Space
to Right of
House Line/Left
of Riser
House Line
Distance from
Finished Wall
I
Height
of House
Line from
Finished
Grade
Meter Area Size (Low Pressure)
Total Load
Distance
Between
Service Riser
and House
Line
Unobstructed Area
Required
Length Width
G
H
J
K
0 - 13 m³/h
(0 - 450 cfh)
16”
(0.4 m)
40”
24”
(1.0 m) (0.6 m)
12”
(0.3 m)
4”
(0.1 m)
48”
(1.2m)
13 - 21 m³/h
(451 - 750 cfh)
20”
(0.5 m)
44”
24”
(1.1 m) (0.6 m)
12”
(0.3 m)
4”
(0.1 m)
48”
(1.2m)
21 - 28 m³/h
(751 - 1,000 cfh)
24”
(0.6 m)
48”
36”
(1.2 m) (0.9 m)
12”
(0.3 m)
6”
(0.15 m)
48”
(1.2 m)
28 - 142 m³/h
(1,001 - 5000 cfh)
48”
(1.2 m)
80”
36”
(2.0 m) (0.9 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
16”
(0.4 m)
48”
(1.2 m)
142 - 228 m³/h
(5001 - 8,000 cfh)
84”
(2.1 m)
132”
60”
(3.4 m) (1.5 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
Requires
site visit by
ATCO Gas
228 - 651 m³/h
(8,001 - 23,000 cfh)
108”
(2.7 m)
148” 60”
(3.7 m) (1.5 m)
20”
(0.5 m)
24”
(0.6 m)
Requires
site visit by
ATCO Gas
2
Outside Set Area
BUILDING
WALL
INSIDE
SERVICE
RISER
OUTSIDE
HOUSE
LINE
I
J
J
K
H
G
METER AREA
REQUIRED
• The above meter space requirements are for one meter and one outlet
pressure per location.
• Special applications including loads over 651 m³/h (23,000 cfh) or twin
regulator runs require a mandatory site visit for specific spacing requirements.
• A concrete pad is required before the installation of any meter with a
minimum capacity greater than 28 m³/h (1,000 cfh) or if any part of the
meter set has to rest on the ground. The concrete pad must be finished,
ground level and tied into the building foundation. Using the minimum
space requirements for the meter set, required size of the concrete pad
can be determined.
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Meter Site Specifications
Total Load
Riser & Meter
Protection
Concrete
Pad Required
Roof
Chain Link Fence
Required
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
May be required
Yes
May be
required
May be required
Unobstructed
Distance from Wall
0 - 13 m³/h
24”
(0 - 450 cfh)
(0.6 m)
13 - 28 m³/h
36”
(451 - 1,000 cfh)
(0.9 m)
28 - 142 m³/h
36”
(1,001 - 5,000 cfh)
(0.9 m)
142 - 651 m³/h
60”
(5,001 - 23,000 cfh)
(1.5 m)
Inlet and Outlet Piping
• The customer must indicate the desired meter location on a plan to be
submitted to ATCO Gas. The final location of inlet and minimum outlet
pipe sizes will be determined by ATCO Gas.
• The inlet piping must enter directly into the meter area on special applications.
• If the house line is larger than two inches, install a two-inch threaded-one end
(TOE) fitting to allow for the connection of regulating and metering equipment.
Protection
• ATCO Gas metering and regulating equipment must be protected from
potential physical damage.
• Where there is potential for vehicular damage (including forklifts and
other moveable equipment), the customer must provide a vehicle barrier
or fencing.
• The meter area must be in a location that is free from falling ice or snow
hazards. Snow must not be piled directly in front of or on the meter set.
• ATCO Gas will provide protection for piping, meter and regulating
equipment where applicable.
• When a meter is located on a building, where the exterior is stucco or
corrugated metal siding, ATCO Gas requires backing support on the inside
wall (i.e. plywood) to attach riser brackets to keep single and multi-header
meters secure.
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Security
• ATCO Gas reserves the right to require a security enclosure to prevent
tampering and vandalism.
• Enclosures must be closed and locked at all times when not occupied by
ATCO Gas employees. The gates of these enclosures need to be six inches
(0.15 m) above the finished grade for access during winter months.
• Enclosures may be locked by means of a conventional lock set, provided
by ATCO Gas to ensure that employees can obtain access at all times to
the area.
• Warning signs provided by ATCO Gas shall be attached to the outside
of the enclosure.
Electrical
• There must be a minimum of three feet (0.9 m) separation between any
part of the gas meter/regulation installation and any sources of ignition
(i.e. open flames, electrical panels, switches, meters, etc.).
Automated Meter Reading (AMR)
• ATCO Gas may supply and install an Automated Meter Reading (AMR)
device for your natural gas meter. This is simply a modem which may
connect to the telephone system.
• A telephone line may be required for AMR purposes. A common
analog loop start extension from an existing in house line is adequate;
a dedicated service is not required. The telephone line must terminate
as close as possible to the meter, but no closer than three feet (0.9 m)
from the meter set equipment and piping. The cable is to be encased in
weatherproof mechanical protection. It is recommended, where possible,
that the cable be routed from the main phone panel in half-inch conduit.
• After telephone service has been provided to the meter area, ATCO Gas
may install and commission the AMR device.
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The information in this booklet is provided to assist in planning
your meter area requirements. Actual field conditions may result
in additional requirements. For more information, please contact
the ATCO Gas office in your area.
Notes
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Notes
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