Another argument...who's right?

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peter d

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
Situation:

The cable and phone companies in my area often places a meter and a small panel on telephone poles to power their air compressors and other equipment.

My friend was told in his class (taught by an electrical inspector) that the local AHJ has jurisdiction over these installations.

I say this is installation is outside the scope of NEC and the AHJ has no say whatsover.

[ December 05, 2005, 07:53 PM: Message edited by: peter d ]
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

I would think it depends if they are owned/ installed by the Power Co. or not?
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

They are installed by electricians who work for the phone and cable companies, or subcontracted by ECs.

I don't think that has anything do with the issue. An AHJ does not have any jurisidiction over a utility owned and maintained telephone pole.
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

In my area, the service equipment for such pole mounted equipment is inspected before it's tapped up. Everything on the load side of the disco is not inspected. I don't think that the AHJ has jurisdiction per se, as much as it is that the Poco simply will not tap up until somebody inspects it.

[ December 05, 2005, 08:30 PM: Message edited by: mdshunk ]
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

We have the same issue here in Washington State. Our public power companies are installing amplifiers for fiber optic sytems, fed from a small service. Our state electrical dept is saying that the services are under the scope of the NEC and the power companies are saying they are not.
The power company linemen do the installation, there have been noted some NEC violations.
I see both sides of the issue, that both are right.
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

(5) Installations under the exclusive control of an electric
utility where such installations
a. Consist of service drops or service laterals, and associated
metering, or
b. Are located in legally established easements, rightsof-
way, or by other agreements either designated by
or recognized by public service commissions, utility
commissions, or other regulatory agencies having
jurisdiction for such installations, or
c. Are on property owned or leased by the electric
utility for the purpose of communications, metering,
generation, control, transformation, transmission, or
distribution of electric energy.
ARTICLE 90 ? INTRODUCTION 90.2
2005 Edition NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE 70?23
FPN to (4) and (5): Examples of utilities may include those
entities that are typically designated or recognized by governmental
law or regulation by public service/utility commissions
and that install, operate, and maintain electric supply (such as
generation, transmission, or distribution systems) or communication
systems (such as telephone, CATV, Internet, satellite, or data
services). Utilities may be subject to compliance with codes and
standards covering their regulated activities as adopted under governmental
law or regulation. Additional information can be found
through consultation with the appropriate governmental bodies,
such as state regulatory commissions, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, and Federal Communications Commission.
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

Maybe it comes down to who pays the electric bill for that meter!

If the power co. pays for it, it's considered part of their property and the NEC wouldn't apply, but if the power co. bills someone for the Elec. it is considered a customer's property in which the NEC would apply.

I have no idea what I'm talking about!
Good question though!
:confused:
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

Originally posted by tom baker:
We have the same issue here in Washington State. Our public power companies are installing amplifiers for fiber optic sytems, fed from a small service. Our state electrical dept is saying that the services are under the scope of the NEC and the power companies are saying they are not.
The power company linemen do the installation, there have been noted some NEC violations.
I see both sides of the issue, that both are right.
Click to expand...
We pulled several permits for the cable company so that they could get power for their cable amplifiers mounted on poles. We did not do the work, Comcast did. However one of our guys spent three days riding along with a cable guy in their bucket truck, looking at each and every service before we would allow them to use our name on their permit. They had everything done and ready to go, but the POCO and state said not without inspections.
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

We have also went round and round with the state about wiring up non-UL listed DC rectifiers for the phone company. Under exclusive control of the utility and part of the phone equipment. But the state says since it takes AC power, they want to inspect it. Personally, I feel they are reaching beyond the NEC and our WAC rules. At one point, the phone company was threatening to take them to court over it. They came to a happy medium.
 
Re: Another argument...who's right?

In my opinion this equipment is outside the scope of the NEC per 90.2(B)(4).
Don
 
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