Requesting a New Service

Request for new electric service or changes in their electrical service can be made by calling the Engineering Department at 1-800-364-3171 or 979-865-3171. All requests for electric service should be made as early as possible. An appointment with a Cooperative Staking Technician is then scheduled to discuss your needs on site. It is essential that you keep this appointment, as we cannot proceed with your request for electrical service until the stakes are in place and you have provided us with the following information. (If you cannot keep this appointment, please give us 24 hours notice so we can best utilize the Staking Technicians busy schedule.) The Staking Technician will need the following information to facilitate prompt electric service to serve your needs:

1. Type of electrical load to be served (residence, mobile home, well, shop, etc.).

2. Size of electrical load to be served. You will need to provide an electrical load analysis or be able to provide the total AMP capacity required. IF YOUR ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS EXCEED 200 AMPS, WE REQUIRE AN ELECTRICAL LOAD ANALYSIS CALCULATED BY YOUR ELECTRICIAN PRIOR TO DESIGNING OUR ELECTRICAL LINES.

3. Exact physical location of the house, mobile home, or any other buildings to be served. The name of the building contractor and/or electrical contractor that will be installing the Member’s facilities.

4. Permanent location of the meter. Our lines stop at the location you designate as your permanent metering point. The meter can be installed on your building, on your temporary pole with extra wire to go to the building after completion of the building, on our transformer pole or on our permanent meter pole. If you choose to use our transformer pole or meter pole, the meter will remain on this pole, and your electrician will run the service from the meter to your building. You are required to supply and install a meter loop for us to connect the service. If you designate the meter to go on our permanent pole, we will not connect to a temporary pole.

5. HAVE THE PROPERTY PINS PHYSICALLY LOCATED AND MARKED ON THE PROPERTY.

6. PROVIDE A COPY OF YOUR RECORDED DEED AND/OR CONTRACT OF SALE TO VERIFY OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY AND ACQUIRE DEED INFORMATION TO PREPARE ANY RIGHT-OF-WAY EASEMENT NEEDED.

From this information, our Technicians will discuss the route you prefer across your property and then survey a route, stake the pole and guy locations, and determine the necessary engineering details to provide your service.

PLEASE NOTE: The Cooperative shall provide up to two appointments to design the power line for electric service at no charge to the person requesting service. If the Member requests a third appointment with a Cooperative’s representative, a non-refundable contribution of $150.00 will be assessed to the Member. Once a Member’s job has been staked and the Member requests a re-stake prior to construction, a non-refundable contribution of $150.00 will be assessed to the Member.

FOR SAFETY PURPOSES, buildings, trees or other obstructions are not permitted in the path of the power line. We require a 20’ feet wide (10’ feet on each side of the power line) un-obstructed right-of-way that is free and clear of buildings, trees or other obstructions. The consumer is responsible to clear the right-of-way of all trees, stumps, brush, debris, and/or any obstacles along the route of the proposed extension to a width specified by the Cooperative. Any right-of-way being cleared by the Cooperative on a line extension shall be at the member’s expense.

Once the engineering details are completed and drafted onto a staking sheet, the job goes to our right-of-way department to prepare and secure all the easements and permits that may be needed. Any information you can supply us regarding this would be helpful. Power lines shall be constructed only on an un-obstructed right-of-way covered by properly executed easements.

When the staking sheets are prepared, the easements and permits, if any, are secured, the service agreement is signed, and all the fees paid, then the job will be released to our construction department to be built at our earliest opportunity. You will need to have your service entrance equipment (commonly referred to as a “meter loop”) installed on the outside of your building if the meter is going on the building or assembled and on site for us to install if it is going on our pole. The Cooperative has meter loops for sale on meter pole and transformer pole installations. (Talk to our Staking Technicians for more information). PLEASE NOTE: Should the meter loop not be ready to connect at the time of construction of the line and an additional trip is required to connect the service, a non-refundable charge of $60.00 will be assessed to the Member. If the additional trip to connect the service is made after normal business hours a non-refundable charge of $120.00 will be assessed to the Member.

In order to avoid unnecessary delays during initial construction and future emergency line repairs, the Cooperative shall require that the party receiving service grant permission for the Cooperative to install its standard padlock where required to gain access to its lines when such gate or gap is kept locked by the property owner.

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SERVICE PROVISIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS

The Cooperative shall classify each applicant’s facilities and/or service requirements.
Permanent Classification - The Cooperative will extend overhead service to applicants under this classification if the applicant’s facilities and/or anticipated usage and consumption of electrical energy and capacity comply with at least one of the following definitions:
(1) Permanent Residential Dwelling – A permanent residential dwelling shall consist of a single family dwelling, completely constructed, and occupied on a full time basis, or any manufactured home or prefabricated structure which is occupied on a full time basis and:
(a) Which is permanently anchored, and
(b) Which is impractical to move, such as having had the wheels, axles, hitches, and/or towing devices permanently removed, and
(c) Which is connected to a permanent water system and a permanent sewer system.
(2) Commercial and Industrial Facilities – Commercial and industrial facilities include, but is not limited to retail businesses, restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, fast food establishments, manufacturing facilities, and repair shops, where service is to a permanent structure facility, and where the frequency and duration of usage of electrical energy and capacity can be reasonably estimated and in the Cooperative’s opinion is of such frequency and duration to justify the permanent classification.
(3) Public Buildings – This category includes governmentally owned and operated facilities, schools, and churches where service is extended to a permanent facility.

The Cooperative shall extend service to qualifying applicants under this classification only if the applicant pays, in advance, a contribution in aid of construction equal to the total cost for construction less a prorated discount on the last primary span and secondary to the metering point.

Indeterminate Classification - Applicants under this classification for overhead extensions include:
(1) Facilities, which do not meet the criteria for permanent residential dwellings,
(2) Seasonal facilities, such as irrigation wells and systems, vacation homes, weekend homes, hunting camps, fishing camps, baseball fields, and other types of recreational areas,
(3) Low consumption facilities, including but not limited to electric fences, barns, bunkhouses, grain storage facilities, equipment shelters, stock tanks, stock wells, radio and microwave towers, and other similar facilities,
(4) All facilities involved in the production, handling, and/or processing of oil or natural gas, such as, but not limited to, oil wells, tank batteries, compression plants, saltwater wells, injection wells, cathodic protection units or rectifiers.
The Cooperative shall extend service to applicants under this classification only if the applicant pays, in advance, a contribution in aid of construction for the total cost of the new construction and/or system improvements required to extend service to applicant.
Temporary Classification - The temporary classification for overhead extensions includes service to applicants where the expected period of usage is twenty-four months or less, such as service for construction power, rock crushers and quarry activities, construction storage facilities, and other similar activities. The Cooperative shall extend service to applicants under this classification only if the applicant pays, in advance, a contribution in aid of construction for the total cost of the new construction and/or system improvements plus ten percent (10%) to cover retirement labor, overhead and material losses less salvageable material.
Adjustments or Refunds - If, at the request of the original Member and in the Cooperative’s opinion, the amount and permanency of use justifies reclassification from Indeterminate or Temporary to Permanent, the Cooperative shall refund, to the original Member the service was constructed to and is receiving service at the time the reclassification occurs, the amount paid in excess of the Permanent classification line extension cost for the one primary span and secondary to the metering point. This provision is applicable only if the reclassification occurs within five years of the original extension of service.
In the event additional Members are connected from a line extension constructed as a result of a contribution in aid of construction within five years from the date applicant paid the contribution in aid of construction, upon the request of the original applicant, the Cooperative will refund a pro rata portion of the contribution in aid of construction to the original applicant who paid the initial contribution in aid of construction as follows: For a permanent secondary line extension extended off the original line extension past the first primary span of the original extension, a refund of four hundred dollars ($400.00) will be made. For a permanent primary extension off the original line extension past the first primary span of the original extension, a refund of six hundred dollars ($600.00) will be made. This provision shall be limited to reimbursements for not more than two additional line extensions, and in no event shall the sum of the refunds reduce the original contribution to less than six hundred dollars ($600.00).

Security Lighting - The Cooperative will install, own, and maintain security lighting facilities for the consumer provided the installation is made on an existing wood pole where the appropriate secondary voltage is available and the consumer sign the required Electric Service Agreement agreeing to a contract term of not less than one year at the applicable rate schedule, pay a contribution-in aid of construction of sixty dollars ($60.00). Should the security light be installed at the time the line construction is being done, the $60.00 installation cost will be wavered. In the event the consumer desires the security light to be installed at a location where there is no existing wood pole with the appropriate secondary voltage available or request a manually operated switch, a contribution-in-aid of construction shall be assessed for the full cost of the additional facilities. Security lighting may not be available to consumers at locations where persistent damage to the security light occurs.
Underground Service - The Cooperative will provide underground facilities as requested by the Member. The Member will be required to pay a contribution in aid of construction equal to the estimated average cost per lineal foot with a one thousand dollar ($1,000.00) minimum. Should the service be classified or reclassified to Permanent, on the request of the Member a refund of $200.00 will be made if no refund for overhead is given. No refunds will be made for additional extensions of service.
Relocation of Lines and Facilities - Relocation of electric power lines and electrical facilities shall be made at the sole option of the Cooperative and the party making the request shall, if required by the Cooperative, pay the full cost of the relocation, which shall include any loss of materials.
Service Provisions - The consumer shall agree to a one year contract term and commence receiving electric service within thirty days after it is made available or shall commence paying to the Cooperative the minimum monthly charge as specified in the applicable rate schedule as no meter billing.
Ownership - San Bernard Electric Cooperative shall retain ownership of all materials and facilities installed by the Cooperative.

Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions. Thank you.

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Service Requirements and Meter Loop Specifications

SBEC requires that its consumers be responsible for providing all materials (Except for the meter base and meter pole) for the meter loop and labor for installing and maintaining their meter loops. The location of the meter loop must be in a mutually acceptable location to the consumer and SBEC. Each consumer's meter loop must be inspected by a SBEC employee and must be approved in its entirety before SBEC will extend and connect its service conductors and install its meter.

These specifications contain guidelines for meter loops for both overhead and underground service extensions. Several examples of meter loop construction are shown on drawings in these specifications. These specifications are for meter loops rated 200 amps or less. For larger service, contact SBEC.

Note! New service will not be provided to any consumer when the consumer's facilities (mobile home, house, barn, sign, structure, etc.) are within 10 feet in any direction of SBEC's pole, or within SBEC's primary distribution line right-of-way which is at least 10 feet and up to 15 feet on either side of the center line between two consecutive poles. The purpose of this rule is for the consumer's safety.

Some Counties require that consumers obtain a permit before receiving electric service.

It is the policy of the Cooperative to require that service entrance equipment conform to the standards of the latest edition of the National Electrical Code and the regulations specified in this information before the meter can be placed into service. THE COOPERATIVE STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT ALL WIRING INSTALLATIONS AND METHODS BEYOND THE METER CONFORM TO THE LATEST EDITION OF THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE.

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SPECIFICATIONS APPLYING TO BOTH OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND METER LOOPS

1. SERVICE-ENTRANCE CONDUCTORS shall be copper or aluminum. Aluminum is not recommended. The minimum size "hot" conductors shall be # 6 except when the service is for any dwelling the minimum size shall be # 4. The consumer shall be responsible for determining whether larger conductors are required based upon load requirements. The NEUTRAL conductor shall be the same size as the "hot" conductors or a maximum of two standard size smaller. No conductor shall be smaller than # 6. The ampacity of all conductors shall be per the National Electrical Code. See the Conductor Chart for minimum size "hot" conductors. Each conductor shall extend a minimum of 36" out from the weatherhead.



2. GROUNDING CONDUCTORS shall be copper and shall be # 6 minimum for up to 150 amp service and # 4 for 200 amp service. The Grounding Conductor for larger service shall be sized according to Table 250-94 of the National Electric Code. Attaching the Grounding Conductor to the neutral bus bar or a lug in the service disconnect is preferred. A Grounding Conductor attached to the grounding lug in the meter base may be acceptable. IF PVC CONDUIT IS USED THROUGH THE WALL BETWEEN THE METER BASE AND THE SERVICE DISCONNECT THEN THE GROUNDING CONDUCTOR MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE NEUTRAL BAR IN THE SERVICE DISCONNECT. The Grounding Conductor shall be protected by securing the conductor every 6 inches (to existing grade) or by installing it in ˝" thinwall EMT conduit securely attached to the building or pole.



3. SERVICE DISCONNECTS shall be manually operable and shall have overcurrent protection (either fuses or circuit breakers) rated not greater than the ampacity of the Service Entrance Conductors and shall be UL listed for use as service equipment. It shall be located within 3 feet of the meter base. Where the meter loop is mounted on a pole, the Service Disconnect shall be on the pole. It shall consist of no more than 6 circuit breakers or 6 sets of fuses. A circuit breaker panel with more than 6 positions for single pole circuit breakers shall be required to have a MAIN circuit breaker. If located outside it shall have a weatherproof enclosure. Make sure all unused holes are closed with approved knockout closures. If located inside, access must be provided for inspection.



4. GROUND RODS shall be 5/8" galvanized steel or iron or ˝" copper, 8 feet long, driven full length into the ground. Attach the grounding conductor by means of an approved ground rod clamp. Rebar or galvanized pipe shall not be accepted.



5. CONDUIT shall be used to protect all service entrance and underground service drop conductors. All conduits on an overhead meter loop shall be metallic types such as Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT), Rigid Galvanized Steel (RGS), and Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC). Where the conduit extends above the roof, 2" RGS conduit minimum shall be used. Underground conduit shall be Schedule 40 PVC (gray) electrical conduit. Water pipe (white) is not allowed. All conduit connections shall be made weather-tight with connectors made for the application. All conduit straps shall be full straps. Half straps are not allowed.



6. METER BASES for permanent installations will be furnished by SBEC (Installed by Member), or the consumer may choose to purchase a meter base elsewhere. SBEC has available meter bases rated for a maximum of 100, 200 and 400 amps, for overhead service and underground applications. The consumer's need for service in excess of 200 amps must be approved by SBEC's engineering department and would require the Member to provide a load rendition calculation as defined in the NEC. Meter bases rated for 200 amps shall be supplied with a hub size of 2". Meter bases rated for 100 amps shall be supplied with a hub size of 1.25" or 1.5". Only one set of conductors shall be allowed under the lugs of a 200 amps or less meter base. Meter loops shall be completely assembled by the consumer, or the consumer's electrician.

SPECIFICATIONS APPLYING TO OVERHEAD METER LOOPS ONLY

1. NEUTRAL CONDUCTORS shall be continuous from the weatherhead to the service disconnect. Strip the insulation away from the neutral conductor and connect at the neutral lug of the meter base. DO NOT CUT THE NEUTRAL. Mark the neutral at the weatherhead by using white color-coded tape where the neutral exits the weatherhead.



2. METER POLES shall be provided and installed by SBEC in accordance with the current SBEC line extension policy. The location of the meter pole is to be decided and agreed upon at a meeting on site with the Member and SBEC's engineering personnel. Temporary meter poles for construction are provided and installed by the member. The temporary meter pole shall be a minimum of 12 feet above ground and set to a minimum dept of 3 feet in the ground. The meter loop on the temporary meter pole shall have a minimum capacity of 60 amperes. The Member shall install a ground rod at the temporary pole location. Temporary poles shall be connected when the permanent service is to located on the building or residence. A Member's temporary pole will not be connected if the permanent meter is to be installed on SBEC's transformer pole or meter pole.



3. WEATHERHEADS shall be located high enough to provide the required vertical clearance of SBEC's service drop cable between SBEC's pole and the weatherhead as indicated below: 12.5 feet - areas where only pedestrians have access. This area includes porches, decks, balconies, etc. It also includes areas where horses and vehicles are not normally expected to be. 16.5 feet - over driveways, parking lots, areas used by special used equipment and trucks, and areas where horses are ridden. Weatherhead must also be located so that the weatherhead and SBEC's service drop cable shall have a clearance of not less that 3' from any windows, door, porch, or similar accessible location. When the Weatherhead is to be extended above the roof, the conduit shall be 2" minimum diameter and shall be RGS or IMC. It should be continuous without joints. If joints are necessary, only threaded connections below the roofline will be approved. All clearances specified herein are minimum safety clearances prescribed by the National Electrical Safety Code and the National Electrical Code.



4. SERVICE ATTACHMENTS shall be provided and installed by SBEC except where the attachment is to be located on a metal building, in which case the consumer shall install a 5/8" eye bolt securely fastened. SBEC will furnish the eyebolt to the consumer if needed.

SPECIFICATIONS APPLYING TO UNDERGROUND METER LOOPS ONLY

1. METER RACK for underground service shall be pressure treated 4" x 4" minimum timbers (suggested 4" x 6" timbers), 8' long and use 2" x 8" treated boards or galvanized steel of sufficient strength.



2. FOR TEMPORARY SERVICES in subdivisions with underground distribution lines, set the meter pole 3' away from and into the property from the pedestal or pad mounted transformer. Temporary underground meter poles should include enough cable to be buried and extend into pad-mount transformer. SBEC will finish digging the trench and install the underground service conductors under pad and into transformer. CAUTION! DO NOT SET THE METER RACK NEAR OR ON TOP OF HIGH VOLTAGE LINES THAT ARE BURIED AND ARE DANGEROUS. Call to have SBEC's lines located before any digging starts. Temporary underground service is not available where distribution lines are overhead.



3. TRENCHING will be provided by SBEC if the Consumer is willing to pay a contribution in aid of construction based on SBEC's current line extension policy. The trench shall be a minimum of 30 inches deep for secondary or service lines. The Consumer shall expose all existing buried lines (water, sewer, etc,) before SBEC will trench. The Member may seek approval to install short runs of service from a pad-mount transformer to house or meter rack. If the Consumer provides the trenching, conduit and conductors, and may spot cover the conduit until it has been inspected. CAUTION! ARRANGEMENTS AND ROUTING OF THE TRENCH MUST BE APPROVED BY SBEC BEFORE THE TRENCH IS DUG. Consumer provided trenching should extend to within 2 feet of SBEC's pad-mounted transformer or service pedestal. CAUTION! HAVE SBEC POWER LINES LOCATED PRIOR TO ANY TRENCHING BEING DONE. All conduits for underground service shall be 2 1/2".



4. LONG SWEEP ELBOWS shall be at least 24" radius and may be Schedule 40 PVC (gray) conduit. For permanent service to a meter rack, a long sweep elbow shall be installed.



5. RISER CONDUIT shall be RGS conduit only, 2 1/2" diameter minimum.



6. NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR will only be attached to the lower lug of the meter base for underground service only when SBEC is installing the conductor to the meter base.

ALL ELECTRIC HOMES SHALL HAVE A MINIMUM SERVICE ENTRANCE CAPACITY AS FOLLOWS, REGARDLESS OF LIVING SPACE AREA:

1. Homes having less than 12 KW of electric heating load shall not have less than a 100 amp Service Entrance.



2. Homes having from 12 KW to 18 KW of electric heating load shall have not less than a 150 amp Service Entrance.



3. Homes having 18 KW or more of electric heating load shall have not less than a 200 amp Service Entrance.



4. It is recommended that homes heated with an electric furnace rated at more than 12 KW be equipped with controls to limit the number of elements to come on so that during mildly cold temperatures the entire unit will not be in operation. Specified recommendations for all applications are available to members by contacting the Cooperative's Member Services Department.

NOTE: In every ALL ELECTRIC HOME, the number of branch circuit spaces available in the load center panel shall provide adequately for all present load, and in addition, there shall be space for four spares for future use.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. ATTACHMENTS TO COOPERATIVES PROPERTY: The Cooperative's street lighting standards, poles, wires, towers, structures, and other facilities are provided for the purpose of supplying electric service. The location near, or attachment to, such poles, wires, towers or structures of any radio or television equipment or wires, ropes, signs, banners, or anything of any nature not necessary to the supplying of electric service by the Cooperative, may be dangerous to life and property, and is therefore prohibited. The cooperative reserves the right to remove all such hazards to its service without notice.



2. MEMBER'S COMMUNICATION OR TONE SYSTEMS: Modulated carriers or pulsed carrier systems shall not be impressed upon the electric service conductors, furnished by the Cooperative, for conveying intelligence, for control purposes or for signal purposes beyond the member's premises. In instances where carriers are impressed upon the member's privately owned electric distribution system the owner of such systems shall provide filters to isolate the carrier signals from the Cooperative's facilities.



3. ANTENNAE (RADIO, TELEVISION, COMMUNICATION, ETC...): Members are cautioned to check the location of power lines in the immediate vicinity where an antenna is to be installed and to remember the danger to life and property should any part of the antenna come in contact with, fall into, or be blown during a windstorm into a power line.



4. MEMBER OWNED GENERATION EQUIPMENT: For the mutual protection of member and Cooperative personnel, supplementary, auxiliary, or emergency electric generators shall not be operated in parallel with the service supplied to the Member from the Cooperative's distribution system. Suitable equipment shall be installed by the member for disconnecting his emergency circuits from the Cooperative's service before these circuits can be energized from the member's generator.

DANGEROUS AND UNLAWFUL

Texas law, Title 9 Chapter 752-Health and Safety Code, forbids all activities in which persons or things MAY come within six (6) feet of live overhead high voltage lines. Contractors and owners are legally responsible for safety of construction workers under this law. This law carries both criminal and civil liability. To arrange for lines to be turned off or moved, call SBEC at 1-800-364-3171 or (979) 865-3171

SAFETY CONDITIONS FOR MEMBERS

1. Check to see that the proposed location of your house, well, mobile home, barn, etc., is not under or near any electrical lines. If your location cannot be changed please contact the local power company at once and make arrangements for the power line to be relocated at a cost to the person requesting the line relocation.



2. "Proximity Law" Title 9, Chapter 752 - this is an act relating to safety of persons engaged in activities in the proximity of high voltage lines; prescribing penalties for violations; and declaring an emergency. The Act generally states that certain measures should be taken when working around or near high voltage lines and that it is WARNING - UNLAWFUL TO OPERATE THIS EQUIPMENT WITHIN SIX FEET OF HIGH VOLTAGE LINES."



3. CALL BEFORE YOU DIG - if you are planning to trench, dig, or otherwise disturb the ground where electrical cables may be buried, please notify this office immediately.



4. CALL 1-800-364-3171 or (979) 865-3171

"EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED"

A GOOD WAY TO APPROACH SAFETY ON ANY JOB