2004

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 60

Interruptions.

24. Electrical energy will be supplied continuously, but the Department will not be responsible for any inconvenience or loss that may be sustained by a consumer in consequence of interruptions or defects of supply caused by strikes, accidents to machinery, electric lines, or other apparatus, or on account of its being deemed necessary by the Department to cut off the supply for temporary repairs, or in consequence of any operation of the Department.

Formal Contracts and Deposits.

25. The Department may require any consumer to enter into a formal contract, or to pay a deposit as security for energy supplied.

26. In the event of no formal contract being entered into between the Department and the consumer, the latter, after the supply has commenced, shall be held to have agreed to, and shall be bound by, these conditions of supply.

Meters.

27. A meter or meters will be provided free of charge to measure the total power going into an installation, but if for the purposes of the consumer check-meters are installed, or the installation is divided into lighting, heating, or power circuits, and it is required to meter each separately, the consumer shall pay a monthly charge of 6d. for each extra meter.

28. Meters will be maintained free of charge. If the accuracy of the meter is questioned by the consumer, on depositing 5s. at the Tourist Office the meter will be tested. If it tests accurate within 2½ per cent., plus or minus, the meter shall be deemed to be correct, and the consumer shall bear the cost of the tests.

29. If the meter is not correct, adjustment will be made in the consumer’s account for one month, and the deposit will be returned.

Change of Occupancy.

30. Each consumer will be held responsible for the electric energy consumed on the premises specified in the application until written notice has been received by the Department that the supply is to be discontinued or transferred. Such notice must be given to the Department forty-eight hours before the consumer wishes the supply to be cut off. In the event of a consumer ceasing to require the supply and failing to give the required notice in advance, such consumer shall be charged for all supply registered on the meter.

Disconnection.

31. (a) If the consumer makes use of the electrical supply for any other purpose than that set forth in his application, or uses or deals with the energy supplied by the Department in any manner so as to unduly or improperly interfere with the efficient supply of energy to other consumers; or

(b) If the consumer shall refuse access to his premises at any reasonable time to the departmental officer for the time being, or other person acting on his behalf, for the purpose of inspecting, testing, reading, removing, or fixing the meter, or of inspecting and testing the consumer’s wiring and fittings; or

(c) If the consumer’s installation shall, upon testing, show a test of less than thirty megohms divided by the number of points; or

(d) If the consumer or any person with his knowledge or connivance tamper with or wilfully damage any meter or apparatus on his premises, being the property of the Department, or shall fraudulently obtain a supply of electricity from the Department’s service wires or apparatus; or

(e) If the consumer make default in paying for the electric energy supplied to him; or

(f) If the consumer shall in any way contravene the terms in his application;

the Department may, if it thinks fit, without prejudice to any other of the Department’s rights against him, discontinue the supply.

Reconnection.

32. If the Department should discontinue the supply to the consumer for any of the reasons in clause 31, then a payment of 5s. shall be made for the reconnection of the installation.

33. When an installation has been disconnected, reconnection shall be made by a departmental officer only.

Saving.

34. In any matter relating to material or workmanship which forms part of any installation, connected or to be connected to the Department’s mains, but which is not specially provided for in these by-laws, the decision shall be made by the Department, and such decision shall be final.

35. The Department reserves the right to decide the particular charge of those quoted in clause 37 which shall apply to any consumer; to restrict the use of any apparatus to defined hours; to refuse to give supply, or to continue to supply any apparatus the use of which is prejudicial to the supply given to other consumers; to make special charges for supply of energy in cases not provided for in these by-laws.

36. The Department may from time to time make, alter, amend, or revoke by-laws to regulate and determine—
    (1) The sale and distribution of electricity;
    (2) The terms and conditions under which electrical installations may be used by consumers.

Charges.

37. The price for electrical energy supplied by the Department will be calculated on the Board of Trade unit consisting of 1,000 watt-hours. All energy will be charged according to meter register, but should a supply be given before a meter is installed the consumer shall pay for current supplied during such period a sum based upon the number and capacity of lamps and other apparatus installed.

In all cases units may, at the option of the Department, be measured as kilovolt-ampere hours instead of kilowatt-hours if the power factor of the consumer’s load falls below 90 per cent.

Should the meter prove defective in any way, or be removed for testing or repair, the consumer shall pay per month for energy supplied during such period a sum based on the average former reading of the meter.

If the revenue from any existing or proposed installation does not cover the cost of supply, the Department may impose a connected-load charge in addition to the charge by meter.

Prepayment meters may be installed in any installation at the discretion of the Department.

The charges for energy supplied shall be computed monthly, and shall be as follows:—

(a) (1) For all lighting—
1 to 50 units .. .. 6½d. per unit.
51 to 250 units .. .. 6d. per unit.
251 to 500 units .. .. 5½d. per unit.
Units over 500 .. .. 5d. per unit.

(a) (2) Where prepayment meters are installed the charge shall be 7d. per unit for lighting, and 2¾d. per unit for domestic heating and cooking purposes.

A minimum may be required where these meters are installed, as provided for in clause 37 (h).

(b) For floodlights, or advertising-lighting, the following alternative to clause (a) is available: The consumer may pay a monthly charge at the rate of 2s. per 100-watt lamp, the energy consumed to be charged for at ordinary heating-rates (clause (e)).

(c) (1) For domestic heating, power, and electrical appliances and supply of a similar nature—
1 to 20 units .. .. 3d. per unit.
21 to 100 units .. .. 1½d. per unit.
Balance of units .. .. 1d. per unit.

(2) When the consumer installs an electric cooking range the charge for all the energy consumed by such range during the six-months immediately following its installation shall be 1d. per unit.

At the expiry of the six-months period energy supplied for the range will be charged as per scale. (c) (1).

(3) Where in domestic installations supply is given to both lighting and heating through one meter, the consumption shall be charged per the following scale:—