DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND INDUSTRY SERVICES

                         PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

                        UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC LINES


(By authority conferred on the public service commission by  section   7   of 
Act No. 106 of the Public Acts of 1909, section 5 of Act  No.  419   of   the 
Public Acts of 1919 and section 6 of Act No. 3 of the Public Acts of 1939, as 
amended, being SS460.557, 460.55, and 460.6 of  the  Michigan  Compiled Laws)


R  460.511   Payment of difference in costs.
  Rule  1.  In  the  case  of  all  underground   extensions   of    electric 
distribution facilities  as  covered  by  these  rules,   the   real   estate 
developer or customer shall make a contribution in aid  of  construction   to 
the utility in an amount equal to the estimated difference  in  cost  between 
overhead and underground facilities. "Distribution  facilities"  means  those 
operated at 15,000 volts or less to ground for ___  connected   systems   and 
20,000 volts or less for delta connected systems.

  History: 1979 AC.

  Editor's note:  For the effective dates of R 460.511  and  R 460.514  to  R 
460.519, see R 460.519.


R  460.512   Extensions of residential distribution and service  lines  in
  the lower peninsula mainland.
  Rule 2. (1) The distribution system in a new residential subdivision and an 
existing residential subdivision in the  lower  peninsula  mainland  in which 
electric distribution facilities have not already  been  constructed shall be 
placed  underground,  except  that  a  lot  facing  a  previously  existing   
street  or  county  road  and  having   an   existing   overhead distribution 
line on its side of the street  or  county  road  shall  be  served  with  an 
underground service from these facilities and shall be  considered a part  of 
the underground service area.
  (2) The owner or developer of such subdivisions  shall   be   required   to 
make a nonrefundable contribution in aid of construction to the utility in an 
amount equal to the sum of the lot front-foot  measurements  multiplied  by   
an  amount  to   be   fixed   or   changed   in    appropriate    rate-making 
proceedings, which amount shall be considered to be the  difference  in  cost 
between overhead and direct burial underground facilities.
  (3) The front-foot measurement of each lot to be served  by  a  residential 
underground distribution system shall be made along  the   contour   of   the 
front lot line. The front lot line is that line that usually  borders  on, or 
is adjacent to, a street. However, when streets border on more  than  1  side 
of a lot, the shortest dimension shall be used. In case  of   a   curved  lot 
line that borders on a street or streets and  represents  at  least  2  sides 
of the lot, the front-foot measurement shall  be   considered   as   1/2  the 
total measurement of the curved lot line.  Where  a  lot  is  served  by   an 
underground service from an overhead distribution line under the provision of 
rule 2(1), the lot front-foot measurement of the lot to be  served  shall  be 
deleted.
  (4) The construction provided for in subrule (2) includes the  extension of 
electric distribution facilities to the lot  line  of   each   lot   in   the 
subdivision.
  (5) The use of the lot front-foot measurement in these rules  shall  not be 
 construed  to   require   that   the   underground   electric   distribution 
facilities be placed at the front of the lot.
  (6) The utility shall install, own, and maintain the  service   line   from 
the property line to the customer's meter.
  (7) For a normal installation, the developer or customer   shall   make   a 
contribution in aid of construction to the utility in an  amount   equal   to 
the product of the straight line distance in feet from  the  termination   of 
the utility's facilities at the front or rear property  line   to   a   point 
directly below the customer's meter multiplied by an amount to  be  fixed  or 
changed in appropriate rate-making proceedings. Where  special   routing   of 
the service line is required by the customer, this amount   per   foot   will 
apply to the route of the line as installed.

  History: 1979 AC.


R  460.513   Extensions  of  commercial  and  industrial  lines  in  lower
  peninsula mainland.
  Rule 3. (1) Commercial distribution and service lines in  the  vicinity  of 
the customer's property and constructed solely  to  serve   a   customer   or 
group of  adjacent  customers  shall  be  placed   underground.   This   will 
specifically include, but not be limited to, service   to   apartment   house 
complexes and shopping centers.
  (2) The developer or customer shall be required to make  a  contribution in 
aid of construction to the utility for a direct burial  installation   in  an 
amount arrived at by multiplying the  length  in   feet   of   the   required 
trench by an amount to be fixed  or  changed   in   appropriate   rate-making 
proceedings.
  (3)  Industrial  distribution  and  service  lines    shall    be    placed 
underground at the option of the customer at a cost per trench  foot  to   be 
fixed or changes in appropriate rate-making proceedings  for  direct   burial 
installations as a contribution in  aid  of  construction   except   as   may 
otherwise be provided for in the utility's filed   and   approved   extension 
rules.

  History: 1979 AC.


R  460.514   Costs in case of special conditions.
  Rule 4. Where practical difficulties  exist,  such  as   frost   or   water 
conditions, rock near the surface, or where  there   are   requirements   for 
deviation from the utility's filed construction standards,   the   per   foot 
charges in R 460.512 and R 460.513 will not apply, and  the  contribution  in 
aid of construction will be equal to  the  estimated   difference   in   cost 
between overhead and underground facilities but not less  than   the   charge 
calculated under R 460.512 and R 460.513.

  History: 1979 AC.


R  460.515   Extensions of lines in other areas of state.
  Rule 5. (1) Residential,  commercial  and   industrial   distribution   and 
service lines shall be placed underground at the option of  the  developer or 
customer in areas of the state outside the lower peninsula mainland.
  (2) If underground facilities are to  be  installed,   the   developer   or 
customer shall be required to pay to the utility a contribution  in  aid   of 
construction in an amount  equal  to  the  estimated   difference   in   cost 
between overhead and underground facilities but not less  than   the   amount 
calculated under R 460.512, R 460.513, and R 460.514.

  History: 1979 AC.


R  460.516   Replacement of existing overhead lines.
  Rule 6. (1) Existing overhead  residential,   commercial   and   industrial 
electric distribution and service lines anywhere in  the   state   shall   be 
replaced with  underground  facilities  at  the  option   of   the   affected 
customer or customers.
  (2) Before construction is started, the customer shall   be   required   to 
pay the utility the depreciated cost (net cost) of  the   existing   overhead 
facilities plus the cost of removal less the salvage   value   thereof   and, 
also, make a contribution in aid of construction in an amount  equal  to  the 
estimated difference in cost between  new  underground   and   new   overhead 
facilities including, but not  limited  to,  the  costs   of   breaking   and 
repairing streets, walks, parking lots and  driveways,   and   of   repairing 
lawns and replacing grass, shrubs and flowers.

  History: 1979 AC.


R  460.517   Underground facilities for convenience of utilities or  where
  required by ordinances.
  Rule 7. The utility shall bear the cost of  construction   where   electric 
facilities are placed underground at the option of the utility  for  its  own 
convenience or where underground construction is required  by  ordinance   in 
heavily congested business districts.

  History: 1979 AC.


R  460.518   Exceptions.
  Rule 8. Nothing in these rules shall prohibit a utility   or   a   customer 
from applying to  the  public  service  commission  for   relief   from   the 
operation of these rules or prevent  the  commission   from   granting   such 
relief if it finds such action to be in the public interest.

  History: 1979 AC.


R  460.519   Effective dates.
  Rule 9. The mandatory undergrounding  provisions  of   these   rules   take 
effect on January 1, 1971. The provisions for the contributions  in  aid   of 
construction take effect for new underground construction upon publication in 
the Administrative Code or supplement thereto.

  History: 1979 AC.