Section 15-3799. DEFINITIONS

 

3799.1When used in this chapter, the following terms and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed:

 

Abandoned Calls – calls to the natural gas utility that are terminated by the customer after the customer selects the menu option and is placed in the queue and has been in queue at least thirty seconds, but has not yet reached a customer service representative or any other automated response system.

 

Normal Business Hours – Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except major holidays).  The main office serves customers Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The Anacostia office accepts bill payments by check or money order only, Monday through Friday (except holidays), 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  All other hours including, holidays and Sunday are designated as non-normal business hours.

 

Call Abandonment Rate – the annual number of calls to the utility’s call center or business office that were abandoned divided by the total number of calls  the utility received.

 

Call Answering – a process whereby natural gas utility representative, voice response unit, or other automated operator system is ready to render assistance or ready to accept information necessary to process a customer’s call.  An acknowledgement that the customer is waiting on the line does not constitute an answer.

 

Commission – Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia.

 

Condensate Drips – devices installed on low pressure natural gas distribution system at its lowest elevation to facilitate collection of condensates such as ground water or other liquids infiltrating into the gas piping.

 

Dispatch – unit of the gas utility that receives calls, disseminates information and assigns service calls to technicians and field crews, and acknowledges their feedback during responses to gas leaks, incidents and emergencies.

 

Distribution Line – gas pipelines that provide natural gas delivery service to customers.

 

Gas Emergency – any sudden and unexpected situation where leakage, blowing gas, loss of gas pressure, an overpressure condition, or loss of telemetry  or control-system has caused or may cause serious injury or damage to life and/or property. Examples of emergencies include gas-fed fires, explosions involving gas, escaping gas, unplanned supply interruptions,  releases of hazardous material,  carbon monoxide poisonings, and odorant releases.

 

Gas Pipeline Facility – a pipeline, a right of way, a building, or equipment used in transporting natural gas or treating natural gas during its transportation.

Gas Related Emergency Call – a telephone call where the caller believes that he or she is confronting special circumstances that might lead to bodily and/or system-related damage if circumstances remain unaddressed. Examples include, but are not limited to, gas detected inside or near buildings, fire/explosion near or directly involving gas pipeline facility with or without escaping gas, vehicle accidents, natural disasters, unplanned supply interruption, uncontrolled escape of gas, or other conditions that may warrant immediate response.

High Pressure (HP) System – a gas pipeline in which the gas pressure is higher than the pressure provided to the customer. Typically, high pressure pipelines operate over 60 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) and are not transmission pipes.

 

Interruption Duration – the period of time, truncated or rounded to the nearest minute,

during which a sustained interruption occurs.

 

Incident – an event involving the release or potential release of natural gas that interrupts normal operations or causes a crisis.  A reportable incident is an event that involves the release of gas and a death or injury requiring in-patient hospitalization or property damage of at least $5,000.  Incidents include damages or costs in excess of $5,000, or an event receiving media attention or that requires closing a public street.

 

Low Pressure (LP) System – a gas pipeline in which the pressure is substantially the same as the pressure provided to the normal residential customer.  Low pressure lines normally operate at 7.8 inches water column.

 

Major Service Outages  – customer interruption occurrences and durations during time periods when 2% or more (2,500) of the natural gas utility’s District of Columbia customers are without service and the restoration effort due to this  service outage takes more than twenty-four (24) hours.

Medium Pressure (MP) System – a gas pipeline in which the gas pressure is higher than the pressure provided to the customer.  Typically, medium pressure pipelines operate higher than the LP System (at 7.8 inches water column) up to 60 pounds per square inch gauge (psig).

 

Natural Gas – is a gaseous flammable fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane.

 

Natural Gas Service Provider – a natural gas supplier, including an Aggregator, Broker, or Marketer, who generates or produces natural gas, sells natural gas, or purchases, brokers, arranges, or markets natural gas for sale to customers.

 

Natural Gas Utility – the company that owns or controls the distribution facilities required for the transmission and delivery of natural gas to customers, provides sales service and delivery of distribution service of natural gas, and is regulated by the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia.

 

Non-major Service Outages – customer service outages caused by the failure of devices such as pressure regulators, underground excavation damage, or meter freeze-ups lasting more than  eight (8) hours, regardless of how many customers are affected; or customer service outages affecting over 25 but fewer than 2,500 customers, regardless of duration.

 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 300 log (OSHA 300 Log) –a log of all recordable occupational injuries and illnesses on forms approved by OSHA.  This form is called OSHA 300 Log.  It is regularly updated by OSHA.  OSHA 300 Log should be used to record each case within seven (7) calendar days after the employer received information that a recordable work-related injury or illness has occurred.  

 

Office of the Commission Secretary (OCMS) – Secretary of the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia.

 

Office of Engineering (OE) – Office of Engineering of the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia.

 

Office of the People’s Counsel (OPC) – Office of the People’s Counsel of the District of Columbia.

 

Outside Assistance – resources not routinely used by a natural gas utility for service restoration.  Natural gas utility resources transferred among utility operating areas are not considered outside assistance.

 

PSIG – pounds per square inch gauge.

 

Regulator Station – a facility for controlling the pressure and flow of natural gas serving a distribution system.

 

Specified Minimum Yield Strength (SMYS) – the minimum yield strength, expressed in pounds per square inch, for steel pipe manufactured in accordance with a listed specification. Usually, a test stresses the pipeline to a predetermined percentage of its SMYS. This is a common term used in the oil and gas industry for steel pipe used under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Transportation.

 

Telephone Service Factor – the percentage of calls answered within a specified amount of time.  For example, if the service level time is set at thirty (30) seconds and 70 percent of calls are answered in less than 30 seconds, then the telephone service factor is 70.

Transmission Line – a pipeline, other than a gathering line, that: (1) transports gas from a gathering line or storage facility to a gas distribution center, storage facility, or large volume customer that is not down-stream from a gas distribution center; (2) operates at a hoop stress of 20 percent or more of SMYS; or (3) transports gas within a storage field.

 

authority

D. C. Official Code § 2-505 (2001 Ed.)

source

Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 7646 (September 25, 2009), incorporating text of Proposed Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 1827, 1848 (February 27, 2009); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 9562 (December 25, 2009), incorporating text of Proposed Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 8599, 8601 (October 30, 2009).