Chapter 370: Service Equipment of Public Utilities

The department of energy may ascertain, determine and fix, for each kind of public utility, suitable and convenient standard commercial units of service, product or commodity, which units shall be lawful units for the purposes of this chapter.

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any excepted local exchange carrier.

The department of energy may ascertain, determine and fix adequate and serviceable standards for the measurement of quality, pressure, initial voltage or other condition pertaining to the performing of its service, or to the furnishing of its product or commodity, by any public utility, and prescribe reasonable regulations for examination and testing of such service, product or commodity, and for the measurement thereof.

The department of energy may ascertain, determine and fix reasonable rules, regulations, specifications and standards to secure the accuracy of all meters and appliances for measurement, and every public utility is required to carry into effect all orders issued by the department relative thereto.

The department of energy may provide for the inspection of the manner in which every public utility conforms to the reasonable regulations prescribed by the department for examination and testing of its service, product or commodity, and for the measurement thereof, and may supplement such inspections by examinations and testing.

The department of energy may provide for the inspection of the manner in which every public utility has carried into effect the reasonable rules, regulations, specifications and standards fixed by rules adopted by the department relative thereto, and may examine and test any meters and appliances for measurements under such reasonable rules and regulations as it may prescribe.

The department may provide for the examination and testing of any appliances used for the measuring of any service, product or commodity of a public utility.

Any consumer or user may have any such appliance tested by the department of energy. The department may declare and establish reasonable fees to be paid for examining and testing such appliances on the request of consumers or users, the fee to be paid by the consumer or user at the time of his request; but, if the measuring appliance be found unreasonably defective or incorrect to the disadvantage of the consumer or user, the department shall repay such fee to the consumer or user and collect the same from the public utility.

The department of energy may purchase such materials, apparatus and standard measuring instruments for such examinations and tests, and for the calibration and standardization of the measuring instruments used by any public utility, as it may deem necessary.

The department of energy shall fix and collect reasonable fees for examining and testing meters and other measuring apparatus and appliances and the product of any public utility offered to the public for use or consumption, and such fees shall be paid by the public utility owning the same, or offering the same to the public, except as provided in RSA 370:7. All fees so collected shall be paid each month to the state treasurer, with an itemized statement of the same.

Any person, firm or corporation operating or controlling any railroad running through or within this state using or permitting to be used on its line in this state a track motor car in violation of the provisions of RSA 370:10 (repealed) shall be liable to a penalty of $100 for each violation, to be recovered in a suit or suits to be brought by the county attorney in the superior court of the county having jurisdiction in the locality where such violation occurred. Upon duly verified information being given him of such violation, such prosecuting attorney shall bring such suits.

Any New Hampshire utility customer that requires a power line extension located on private property may hire a contractor who is approved by the utility. Such contractor shall supply and install materials specified by the local utility for underground and overhead line extensions, the cost of which shall be borne by the utility customer.