SERVICE REGULATIONS

Huntsville Code of Ordinances ch. 26, art. II, div. 2

in effect

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-81 Scope.

Sec. 26-81. - Scope. This division is part of all contracts for receiving electric service from the city, and applies to all service received from the city whether the service is based upon contract, agreement, signed application or otherwise. (Code 1982, § 16-46)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-82 Underground service lines.

Sec. 26-82. - Underground service lines. Customers desiring underground service lines from the city's overhead system must bear the incidental excess cost. Specifications and terms for such construction will be furnished by the city on request. (Code 1982, § 16-47)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-83 Inspections.

Sec. 26-83. - Inspections. Except as provided in section 7-63, the city shall have the right but shall not be obligated to inspect any installation before electricity is introduced or at any later time and reserves the right to reject any wiring or appliances not in accordance with the city's standards; such inspection or failure to inspect or reject shall not render the city liable or responsible for any loss or damage resulting from defects in the installation, wiring or appliances, or from violation of the city's rules, or from accidents which may occur upon the customer's premises. (Code 1982, § 16-48)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-84 Standards of customer's wiring.

Sec. 26-84. - Standards of customer's wiring. All wiring of the customer must conform to the city's requirements and accepted modern standards, as exemplified by the requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code, International Building Code and National Electrical Code. (Code 1982, § 16-49; Ord. No. 15-908, 12-17-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-85 Service charges for temporary service.

Sec. 26-85. - Service charges for temporary service. Customers requiring electric service on a temporary basis may be required by the city to pay all costs for connection and disconnection incidental to the supplying and removing of service. This rule applies to circuses, carnivals, fairs, temporary construction and the like. (Code 1982, § 16-50)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-86 Application for service.

Sec. 26-86. - Application for service. Each prospective customer desiring electric service may be required to sign the city's standard form of application for service or contract before service is supplied by the city. (Code 1982, § 16-51)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-87 Deposit.

Sec. 26-87. - Deposit. A cash deposit or suitable guarantee, as approved by the electric utility board, not exceeding twice the highest bill, may be required of any customer or person before electric service is supplied. The electric utility board may enter into an agreement with the gas utility board and the waterworks utility board to establish a combined utility deposit; to establish a minimum deposit for all types of service and to distribute the proceeds from these deposits. Interest may be accumulated on these deposits from October 1, 1973, at a rate as may from time to time be determined by the boards and will be added to the deposit at the time service is terminated. The deposit, plus accumulated interest, may be applied against any unpaid bills of the customer and if any balance remains after such application is made, such balance shall be refunded to the customer. (Code 1982, § 16-52; Ord. No. 15-908, 12-17-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-88 Point of delivery.

Sec. 26-88. - Point of delivery. The point of delivery is the point, as designated by the city, on the customer's premises where current is to be delivered to the building or premises. All wiring and equipment beyond this point of delivery shall be maintained by the customer. (Code 1982, § 16-53)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-89 Billing.

Sec. 26-89. - Billing. Bills will be rendered monthly and shall be paid within 15 days from the date of the bill. Failure to receive a bill will not release the customer from payment of the obligation. Should bills not be paid, the city may at any time thereafter, after providing reasonable notice to the customer, discontinue service. Bills not paid in a timely manner will incur a late payment charge. Payments that are due on a weekend or holiday will be due the next business day. (Code 1982, § 16-54; Ord. No. 15-908, 12-17-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-90 Billing adjusted to standard periods.

Sec. 26-90. - Billing adjusted to standard periods. The demand charges and the blocks in the energy charges set forth in the rate schedules are based on billing periods of approximately one month. In the case of the first billing of new accounts, (temporary service, cotton gins and other seasonal customers excepted) and final billings of all accounts (temporary service exempted) where the period covered by the billing involves fractions of a month, the demand charges and the blocks of the energy charge will be adjusted to a basis proportionate with the period of time during which service is extended. (Code 1982, § 16-55)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-91 Connection and disconnection charges.

Sec. 26-91. - Connection and disconnection charges. A fee for connection, reconnection and disconnection for electric services, and a charge to process returned checks which may or might be dishonored, may be established and collected to cover costs incurred for connecting, reconnecting or disconnecting service. Such charge for such services shall be those charges which shall be made and determined by the electric utility board. (Code 1982, § 16-56)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-92 Voltage fluctuations caused by customer.

Sec. 26-92. - Voltage fluctuations caused by customer. Electric service shall not be used in such a manner as to cause unusual fluctuations or disturbances to the city's system. The city may require the customer, at his own expense, to install suitable apparatus which will reasonably limit such fluctuations. (Code 1982, § 16-57)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-93 Additional load.

Sec. 26-93. - Additional load. The service connection, transformers, meters and equipment supplied by the city for each customer have definite capacity and no addition to the equipment or load connected to the equipment will be allowed except by consent of the city. Failure to give notice of additions or changes in load, and to obtain the city's consent, shall render the customer liable for any damage to any of the city's lines or equipment caused by the additional or changed installation. (Code 1982, § 16-58)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-94 Standby and resale service.

Sec. 26-94. - Standby and resale service. All purchased electric service, other than emergency or standby service, used on the premises of any customer shall be supplied exclusively by the city; and the customer shall not directly or indirectly sell, sublet, assign or otherwise dispose of the electric service or any part of such service. (Code 1982, § 16-59)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-95 Nonstandard service.

Sec. 26-95. - Nonstandard service. The customer shall pay the cost of any special installation necessary to meet his peculiar requirements for service at other than standard voltages or for the supply of closer voltage regulation than required by standard practice. (Code 1982, § 16-60)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-96 Notice of trouble.

Sec. 26-96. - Notice of trouble. Customers shall notify the city immediately should the service be unsatisfactory for any reason, or should there be any defects, trouble or accidents affecting the supply of electricity. (Code 1982, § 16-61; Ord. No. 15-908, 12-17-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-97 Interruption of service.

Sec. 26-97. - Interruption of service. The city shall use reasonable diligence to provide a regular and uninterrupted supply of current; but if the supply of current should be interrupted or disturbed for any cause, the city shall not be liable for resultant damages. (Code 1982, § 16-62)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-98 Shortage of electricity.

Sec. 26-98. - Shortage of electricity. In the event of an emergency or other condition causing a shortage in the amount of electricity for the city to meet the demand on its system, the city may, by an allocation method deemed equitable by the city, fix the amount of electricity to be made available for use by the customer and/or may otherwise restrict the time during which the customer may make use of electricity and the uses which the customer may make of electricity. If such actions become necessary, the customer may request a variance because of unusual circumstances, including matters adversely affecting the public health, safety and welfare. If the customer fails to comply with such allocation or restriction, the city may take such remedial actions as it deems appropriate under the circumstances, including temporarily disconnecting electric service and charging additional amounts because of the excess use of electricity. The provisions of section 26-97 are applicable to any such allocation or restriction. (Code 1982, § 16-63)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-99 Meter tests.

Sec. 26-99. - Meter tests. The city shall, at its own expense, make periodical tests and inspections of its meters in order to maintain a high standard of accuracy. The city shall make additional tests or inspections of its meter at the request of any customer. If such tests show that the meter is accurate within two percent, slow or fast, no adjustment will be made in the customer's bill and a testing charge as established by the electric utility board of the city shall be collected from the customer to cover the costs incurred. If the test shows the meter to be in excess of two percent, fast or slow, an adjustment shall be made in the customer's bill over a period of not over 30 days prior to the date of such test; and the costs of making such test shall be borne by the city. (Code 1982, § 16-64)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-100 Extensions and additions to street lighting systems.

Sec. 26-100. - Extensions and additions to street lighting systems. The city shall, at the request of a customer for street lighting service, provide additions and extensions to the street lighting system; provided, that if, in any year ending June 30, the customer requests additions or extensions with a total cost in excess of five percent of the investment in street lighting property and equipment, the customer may be required to finance such excess cost. (Code 1982, § 16-65)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-101 Athletic field lighting.

Sec. 26-101. - Athletic field lighting. Athletic field lighting installations not owned or maintained by the city may be served on an off-peak basis in accordance with the provisions of the standard street lighting rate as set out in division 3, subdivision IV of this article. For athletic field lighting an investment charge provided for in the street lighting rate will be based on the city's investment in furnishing and installing the equipment devoted to supplying this service. Energy will be billed in accordance with the street lighting schedule and each installation will be considered a separate customer for billing purposes. Customers' bills rendered in accordance with this provision shall be subject to any surcharge and amortization charge applied by the city. The off-peak period shall be determined by the city, but in no case shall it commence earlier than 7:00 p.m. The customer may be permitted to use up to ten percent (not to exceed ten kilowatts) of the total installed lighting capacity prior to the commencement of the off-peak period, such use to be considered off-peak for billing purposes. If a customer fails to restrict service in accordance with this section, he shall be billed under the appropriate large or small lighting and power rate, as set out in division 3, subdivision III of this article. (Code 1982, § 16-66)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-102 Right of entry.

Sec. 26-102. - Right of entry. The city's identified employees shall have access to the customer's premises at all reasonable times for the purpose of reading meters, testing, inspecting, repairing, removing or exchanging any or all equipment belonging to the city. (Code 1982, § 16-67; Ord. No. 15-908, 12-17-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-103 Termination of contract by customer.

Sec. 26-103. - Termination of contract by customer. Customers who have fulfilled their contract terms and wish to discontinue service must give at least one business days' notice to that effect unless the contract specifies otherwise. Notice to discontinue service prior to expiration of contract term will not relieve a customer from any minimum or guaranteed payment under any contract or rate. (Code 1982, § 16-68; Ord. No. 15-908, 12-17-2015)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-104 Discontinuance of service by city.

Sec. 26-104. - Discontinuance of service by city. The city may refuse to connect or may discontinue service for the violation of any of its rules and regulations, or for violation of any of the provisions of this article or of the application of the customer or contract with the customer. The city may discontinue service to the customer for the theft of current or the appearance of current theft devices on the premises of the customer. The discontinuance of service by the city for any cause as stated in this section does not release the customer from his obligation to the city for payment of minimum bills as specified in the application of the customer or the contract with the customer. (Code 1982, § 16-69)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-105 Customer's responsibility for city's property.

Sec. 26-105. - Customer's responsibility for city's property. All meters, service connections and other equipment furnished by the city shall be and remain the property of the city. The customer shall provide a space for and exercise proper care to protect the property of the city on his premises; and in the event of loss or damage to the city's property arising from neglect of the customer to care for the property, the cost of necessary repairs or replacements shall be paid by the customer. (Code 1982, § 16-70)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-106 Filing and posting.

Sec. 26-106. - Filing and posting. A copy of this article shall be kept open to inspection at the office of the city electric system and the office of the city clerk-treasurer. (Code 1982, § 16-71)

Huntsville Code of Ordinances § 26-107 Service not restored while delinquent consumer on premises.

Sec. 26-107. - Service not restored while delinquent consumer on premises. (a) No member of the consumer's family, or anyone else living in the same house or building or on such property with the consumer where the electricity is cut off, shall have the right to make or offer to make a deposit for electricity, or to demand that the city turn on the electricity at such place, so long as the delinquent consumer lives in the house or on the property and the electricity bill or charges, plus a reasonable charge for turning on and off the electricity, is unpaid. (b) Delinquent charges owed by any member of the consumer's family or anyone else living in the same house or building or on such property with the consumer will be charged back to the current active account for electricity service to the consumer. (Ord. No. 84-677, § 16-72, 10-25-1984; Ord. No. 84-889, 1-10-1985)

Source: City of Huntsville, Alabama, publisher code (Municode) + enacted ordinances (City Council/Legistar)URL: https://library.municode.com/al/huntsville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH26UT_ARTIIELSE_DIV2SEREFetched: 11/6/2026