Many of us are faced with communal problems, often the question arises about installing, replacing or repairing counters. In this article, we will describe why counting devices are needed, when and how to replace the meter.
Why do we need counters?
Pursuant to Paragraph 3 of Article 484 of the Civil Code of July 1, 1999 of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Special Part) , it is established that the amount of energy supplied by the energy supply organization and the subscriber's received energy is determined by the indicators of the metering devices and, in their absence, by calculation.
Also, in accordance with subparagraph 15) of Article 1 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Electric Power Industry", a commercial accounting device is a technical device intended for commercial accounting of electric power, electric or thermal energy, authorized for use in the manner established by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
We note that, in accordance with subparagraphs 1) and 3) of paragraph 3 of the Order. Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Regulation of Natural Monopolies of August 7, 2006 No. 192-OD:
accounting device - a technical device designed to account for the volume of consumption of regulated public utilities (goods, works), authorized for use in accordance with the procedure established by law;
consumer - an individual or legal entity that uses or intends to use regulated services (goods, works) of natural monopoly entities and a regulated market.
The supply of electricity, heat, gas and water is made on the basis of a contract with a utility company. The main terms of supply are indicated in the contract, therefore, in order to avoid unpleasant incidents, it is necessary to carefully read the text of the contents of the contract. In March 2015, a model agreement was approved.
23.11.2017 g. and 24.06.2019 g. approved standard contracts of power supply and supply of thermal energy.
In accordance with paragraph 27 of Article p.2 p.2 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Natural Monopolies" , consumers of services (goods, works) of a natural monopoly entity must have metering devices for regulated public utilities (goods, works).
Thus, for consumers do not have metering devices, the norm of consumption of utilities for power supply and heat supply is produced by calculation (rules of calculation of norm of consumption of utilities for power supply and heat supply to consumers that do not have a meter, approved by order of the Minister of national economy of Kazakhstan dated 13.01.2015, No. 15).
in compliance, it is the meters that will save you from overpaying for utilities, because by the meter you will only pay for honestly expended cubes of water or gas. While tariffs for consumers without metering devices can on the contrary, either exceed your actual volume of consumed resources, or the indicators will be too small, and this will lead to trouble in the future. As an example, utilities can question the number of people actually living in the home, excessively low or high consumption.
Who should install and pay for installing the counter
In accordance with paragraph 5 of the Order of the Acting President. Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Regulation of Natural Monopolies of August 7, 2006 No. 192-OD:
the amount of payment for the acquisition and installation of metering devices for regulated public utilities (goods, works) (hereinafter referred to as the "Payment") is calculated by the Entity and is agreed with the authorized body.
Also, the Civil Code, in particular clause 1 of Article 487 stipulates that the subscriber is obliged to ensure the proper technical condition and safety of the operated power networks, devices and equipment, and also to observe the established regime of energy consumption.
At the same time, article 487, paragraph 2, of the Civil Code stipulates that in cases when a citizen using energy for domestic consumption acts as a subscriber under a power supply contract, the obligation to ensure the proper technical condition and safety of energy networks, as well as energy consumption meters, is assigned to the energy supply organization, if other is not established by legislative acts.
In accordance with subparagraph 9) of Article 7 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Natural Monopolies" (hereinafter - the Law), the subject of a natural monopoly is obliged to purchase and install to consumers metering devices for regulated public utilities (goods, works) in accordance with contracts concluded with consumers.
In accordance with subparagraph 1) of Article 10 of the Law, a consumer of services (goods, works) of a natural monopoly entity has the right to require installation of meters or independently acquire and install them.
In other words, the installation of the meter must be carried out by the utility, unless, of course, otherwise specified in the contract.
What are you entitled to as a consumer
- To receive electric and heat energy in accordance with the concluded contracts;
- To require energy-producing, energy-transferring and energy-supplying organizations to compensate for actual damage caused by under-delivery or delivery of poor-quality electric and thermal energy in accordance with the terms of concluded contracts;
- To apply to the court to resolve disputes related to the conclusion and execution of contracts.
In this case, you are obliged
- To maintain the proper technical condition of power and energy installations and commercial accounting devices owned by consumers.
- To comply with the energy consumption regimes defined by the contract for the sale and purchase of electricity and heat.
- To comply with the regulatory requirements aimed at maintaining the standard frequency of electric power in the unified power system of the Republic of Kazakhstan, timely pay for the supplied, transmitted and consumed electricity and (or) heat energy in accordance with the concluded contracts.
- To admit workers of energy supplying and energy transfer organizations to devices of commercial accounting, as well as employees of the state body for state energy control to monitor the technical condition and safety of operation of power and energy installations.
- Timely pay for the released, transferred and consumed electric and (or) thermal energy according to the concluded contracts.
- To conclude individual contracts with a natural monopoly entity for each type of regulated services provided in accordance with model contracts approved by the authorized body.
- To fulfill the technical requirements established by the subject of natural monopoly in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
When can you turn off the electricity partially?
- Absence of payment, and also incomplete payment for electric energy in the terms established by the contract of power supply.
- Violations of the power consumption regime established by the power supply contract;
- In case of non-fulfillment of the requirements of the energy transmission (energy-producing) organization on elimination of violations within the established terms.
When can you turn off the electricity completely?
- Unauthorized connection of power receivers to the network of the power transmission organization;
- Connection of power receivers in addition to meters;
- Reduction of electricity quality indicators through the fault of the consumer to values that disrupt the functioning of electrical installations of the energy transmission organization and other consumers;
- Preventing representatives of the energy supply and (or) energy transfer organizations from commercial accounting devices;
- Emergency.
If you need to disconnect electricity in connection with planned technical works, you must notify in advance about it in three working days (paragraph 53 of the Electricity Use Policy ).
Why check and replace the electricity meter?
All means of measurement and accounting of electric energy, as well as information and measuring systems are verified and have a certificate of verification or a brand of the verifier (p. 381 of the Rules of technical operation of electrical installations of consumers, approved by the Order of the Minister of energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 30.03.2015 year No. 246).
The verification of the meter is carried out to determine its suitability for use, namely confirms or denies the correctness of its calculations, and it is also necessary to check compliance with metrological standards.
Measuring means serially produced in Kazakhstan or imported to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan parties and intended for application in sphere of state metrological control before commissioning testing, followed by type approval of those measuring instruments. The decision of type approval of measuring instruments is accepted by the competent authority (Ministry of investments and development of Republic of Kazakhstan) and is certified by a certificate of type approval of measuring instruments of the established sample, the validity of which is established for its issuance (section 1, article 17 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On ensuring the uniformity of measurements").
In addition, measuring instruments manufactured in the Republic of Kazakhstan or imported in single copies and intended for use in the field of state metrological control are subject to metrological certification before commissioning.
The decision on metrological certification of measuring instruments is certified by the certificate on metrological certification of measuring instruments of the established sample which validity period is established at its issue.
Tests of measuring instruments for the purposes of type approval and for compliance with the approved type, metrological certification of measuring instruments are carried out by the state metrological service.
The approved type of measuring instruments and measuring instruments that have passed metrological certification shall be entered into the register of the state system of ensuring the unity of measurements by the authorized body (Ministry of investment and development of the Republic of Kazakhstan) (item 9, item 2 of article 5 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "on ensuring the unity of measurements").
It should be noted that, the expiration of the inter-verification interval is not the basis for the replacement of the electricity metering device, but is the basis for its verification, the results of which establish the possibility of further operation of the device or its replacement.
If the verification was successful and the counter is all right, a seal (with a stamp) is put on it, and you continue to use it. If, however, the inspector found faults in the meter's work and found it unsuitable for use, then the impression of the valid verification mark is extinguished and a corresponding record is made in the operational documentation, and the valid verification certificate is canceled and a notice of unfitness to application in the form is issued.
Replacement will be necessary for those meters that have not passed the test or metrological certification, have not been tested and found unfit for use, which have external (internal) damage, disrupting their performance, which is the deadline for operational service.
At the same time, the meters are of different classes, the accuracy class is 2.5, then the provisions of GOST 6570-96 "Electric active and reactive energy induction meters. General technical conditions ", it is established that from 01.07.1997 the operation of meters of accuracy class 2.5 is allowed up to the first inter-verification interval of periodic verification of meters. So, if your counter of accuracy class 2.5 it will have to be changed at the nearest scheduled calibration.
If the verification of the meter is unplanned, then the costs of the procedures are borne by the initiating party.
How are the results of checking the electric meter?
According to paragraph 6 of Article 19 of the Law "On ensuring the uniformity of measurements", positive verification results are verified with an impression of the verification mark, which is affixed to the measuring instrument and (or) operational documentation, and (or) a certificate of verification of measuring instruments.
In the case of a negative result of verification of the meter and its recognition as unfit for application, the impression of the valid verification mark is extinguished and a corresponding record is made in the operational documentation, and the valid verification certificate is annulled and a notice of unfitness to application in the form is issued.
How often can the meter be calibrated?
Checking counters is a kind of expertise on the suitability of the meter. The verification can be carried out for two reasons: because of the approaches of the planned verification period (verification interval) or in case of doubt of one of the contractors (you or the company that provides electricity).
According to item 42 of PPE, verification of devices of the commercial accounting of electric energy is made according to the inter-checking interval in the terms specified in the register of the state system of ensuring unity of measurements of the Republic of Kazakhstan with which it is possible to study on the website www.kazinmetr.kz....
What is important for any counter
1. Counters must be placed in an easily accessible place, so that there is unimpeded access for controllers.
2. Carefully read the contract for the provision of electricity, heat energy, water, gas and so on. The regulation of the relationship between the supplier and the consumer in most cases depends on the content of the contract.
3. It is better to feed the meter regularly. Each region has its own system of giving evidence, but if you are often not at home, you can find out contacts and submit data yourself. This measure will save you from overpayment and time-consuming recalculation procedures. In addition, differentiated tariffs in some regions imply overpayment in excess of the norms of consumed services, accordingly giving evidence and paying once a quarter, your values will exceed the monthly rate and will be calculated at higher tariffs. By submitting data and paying for utilities on a monthly basis, the amount will be much lower.
