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Gen-18 (rev. 1) Attribution and Use of Revenue Meters Under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act

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Date: 2000-03-24
Bulletin: GEN-18-E (rev. 1)
Category: General
Supersedes: GEN-18

Recent events involving the supply and metering of electricity for resale to clients by property developers, property managers and realty companies and the use in these metering applications of either unapproved electricity metering devices or approved metering devices that have not been verified has underscored the need for clarification to the electricity industry with respect to the metering applications that warrant attribution as revenue metering and with respect to the statutes that are applicable when revenue meters are used.

This bulletin delineates the pertinent references in the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act (the Act) that apply with regard to the attribution and use of revenue meters and suppliers of electricity.

Interpretation

1.   Provisions for Suppliers of Electricity

1.1  In accordance with section 6 of the Act, no person (or corporation) can undertake to supply electricity or gas on the basis of measurement unless he holds a valid certificate of registration from the director appointed pursuant to the Act. Any person (or corporation) that contravenes this provision of the Act is guilty of an offence and is subject to prosecution on summary conviction or indictment under section 33 of the Act.

1.2  In accordance with subsection 16(2) and section 18 of the Act, all suppliers (contractors) are obligated to keep detailed records for each revenue meter in their system in a manner that is in accordance with the Regulations and all such records shall be made readily available for examination by Measurement Canada representatives. Any person (or corporation) that contravenes these provision of the Act is guilty of an offence under section 33 of the Act and is subject to prosecution on summary conviction or indictment under sections 33 and 34 of the Act.

2.   Attribution of Revenue Meters.

In accordance with section 2 and subsection 9(1) of the Act, any meter used for the purpose of establishing the basis of a charge for a supply of electricity or gas is a revenue meter and as such includes any sub-metering device or any apportionment metering device used to determine the electricity or gas charges to individual tenants in a multiple-client realty complex. Only meters that are used solely for non-billing applications such as load monitoring, energy management, utility bill reconciliation ("check" metering), do not fall under the scope of the revenue meter classification, provided in each case that no assessment of electricity charges whatsoever is based on the meter.

3.    Provisions for Use of Revenue Meters

3.1  In accordance with subsections 9(1) and 9(4) of the Act, all revenue meters must belong to a type approved by the director and each approved meter must be subsequently verified and sealed in accordance with the Act and regulations prior to being put in service.

3.2   In cases where Measurement Canada proceeds with an enforcement action when subsection 9(1) or 9(4) of the Act has been contravened, Measurement Canada will, as a first step, formally inform the affected parties (consumers) of the illegal nature of their metering and of their rights as consumers under the Act.

3.3  Any supplier of electricity or gas that either uses or causes to be used a meter that contravenes the provisions of subsections 9(1) or 9(4) of the Act is guilty of an offence and is subject to the enforcement provisions under the Act which includes prosecution on summary conviction or indictment of the offending contractor or corporation and required removal of all non-conforming meters.

4.    Revision

The purpose of this revision is to:

(a) remove the statement previously contained in clause 3.2 which indicated that a purchaser has the right to refuse payment of bill in cases where a purchaser is assessed a charge for electricity or gas through a meter that does not meet the provisions of subsection 9(1) or 9(4).

(b) clarify the enforcement provisions stated in clause 3.3.

5.    For additional information, please contact the Program Officer responsible for electricity or gas measurement. Further information regarding Measurement Canada and its programs can be found on this internet site.

Gilles Vinet
Vice-President
Program Development