S.L. 545.41 Art. 22Meters.    S.L. 545.24. Removal and tampering of meters. Reading and testing of meters. S.L. 545.34.

(1) The generation, electricity import from and, or export to the distribution network for billing purposes shall be measured by a meter, or metering equipment, provided and maintained in proper working order by the distribution system operator:

Provided that the distribution system operator shall approve the installation of meters by an agent acting on its behalf while retaining the right to test or request any test to ensure the proper functioning of the said meters.

(2) The meters shall at all times remain the property of the distribution system operator.

(3) The meter shall be installed in the premises or temporary installation by the distribution system operator and shall be fixed in a location which is convenient and easy to access, and as close as reasonably practicable to the main entrance of the premises or development as may be determined by the distribution system operator.

(4) If the distribution system operator considers it necessary, safety measures shall be taken for the protection of the meter, which measures shall be at the customer’s expense. The meters shall be enclosed in a wooden or non-metal enclosure if placed indoors, or a suitable insulated weatherproof enclosure if placed outdoors. Metal parts that may form part of the enclosure shall be earthed to the building earthing system. The meter installation height and space requirements shall not be less than one metre (1m) and not more than one point eight, five metres (1.85m) from the finished floor level. The width requirements for every meter rated sixty Amps (60A) or less shall be at least thirty centimetres (30cm). In case of bulk network connections, a space of at least one (1) meter width and one point eight-five meter (1.85m) length shall be provided for each service-meter. The meters shall be segregated by use of separate enclosures from any water meters:

Provided that the requirement for electricity meters to be segregated from any water meters shall, with respect to electricity meters installed before the date of coming into force of these regulations, be effective and enforceable twelve (12) months as from the date of coming into force of these regulations.

(5) Pre-payment meters shall be installed at the discretion of the distribution system operator instead of the ordinary meters.

(6) Where a customer supplies, or allows the supply of, electricity passing through such customer’s meter to another building unit and, or premises and, or location and, or in any other manner or for any other purpose outside the said customer’s building unit, premises or location where the temporary installation or meter is located and intended for, or an area already supplied with electricity from another connection point or has physical access or intended to be used from a premises supplied with electricity from another connection point, the distribution system operator may disconnect the network connection of the customer for such period as the distribution system operator may determine or until such situation is rectified:

Provided that this regulation shall not apply when such electricity supply is to and, or from:

(a) a private garage which is adjacent to, or within the precints of the residential premises occupied by the said customer, whether or not it has direct access to and from such residential premises, and is used solely by the said customer, or persons residing in the residential premises, but no other person has a right, on payment, to make use of the same garage;

(b) outside areas authorised by the relevant competent authorities to be used for commercial purposes, and which are adjacent to the customer’s premises, such as, but not limited to, outdoor seating areas forming part of a catering establishment, provided that extensions of supply from a premises to an area separated from that premises by a public road or third party private property shall not be allowed;

(c) an electricity supply extended from a building unit hosting a ministry or government department to EV charging points, authorised by the relevant competent authorities, located on public pavements;

(d) photovoltaic systems connected to meters in a building unit which is not internally physically connected to the roof hosting the photovoltaic system within the same building block;

(e) airconditioning outdoor units, water pressure pumps and other electrical equipment located on the roof area connected to meters in a building unit which is not internally physically connected to the roof hosting the equipment within the same building block:

Provided further that in all the cases provided for in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) the electrical installation shall be compliant with the Electrical Installations Regulations.

(7) The distribution system operator may, in certain circumstances and for a specified period, upon the request of a customer, allow the supply of electricity through the customer’s meter to one (1) or more premises and, or areas other than the customer’s premises or temporary installation.

(8) The distribution system operator may, upon the request of a customer, provide supply other than through a meter in such circumstances as may be prescribed. The said arrangement shall be regulated by agreement between the customer and distribution system operator, in accordance with terms agreed by both parties.

(9) The distribution system operator may, at its discretion, give an unmetered supply to a customer pursuant to sub-regulation (8), subject to the following conditions:

(a) the design load on each connection is at all times a constant load;

(b) the cyclic loading and the fast fluctuating loads for each connection is in accordance with the network code or other standards established by the distribution system operator;

(c) the distribution system operator may, from time to time, measure consumption to benchmark the system as a whole, and to test the accuracy of calculations for billing purposes; and

(d) the customer pays the distribution system operator, on a quarterly basis, an amount based on the calculated consumption:

Provided that the distribution system operator shall have the right at the end of each calendar year to adjust any calculation for that past calendar year made as provided for in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) on the basis of any test carried out under paragraph (c) and to charge the customer accordingly.

(10) A fee as stipulated in item 3 of the Sixth Schedule shall be charged by the distribution system operator for the replacement or removal of a meter, when such meter shall have been removed or replaced at the request of the customer applying for its removal or replacement.

(11) A customer may, at any time, by submitting the appropriate application to the distribution system operator, request to have the connection to its premises or temporary installation disconnected and the meter registered on the customer’s name removed:

Provided that the customers shall remain responsible for the payment of the meter charge and any amount due with respect to consumption of electricity registered by the meter until such time as either the meter is removed from the premises or temporary installation by the distribution system operator or a declaration is made by the registered customer that the connection is not in use from such a date as shall be stated by the customer in the relevant application, and after the customer has paid any amount that may be due under these regulations with respect to that connection.

(12) A customer at whose request a connection has been provided by the distribution system operator pursuant to these regulations shall, without prejudice to the payment of applicable fees in the Sixth Schedule, be required to pay to the distribution system operator the expenses reasonably incurred in providing the connection or undertaking the works required to provide the connection, where the customer either fails to accept the installation of the meter within a period of one (1) week after written notification to the customer of the intention of the distribution system operator to install such meter, or requires disconnection of the installation and removal of the meter within a period of one (1) year from the date of connection.

(13) If a customer fails to give access to, or otherwise prevents, the distribution system operator from removing the meter, whether the meter is removed at the request of a customer or at the discretion of the distribution system operator, the said customer shall be liable for payment of a meter charge until the date of its removal.

(14) The meters shall be sealed by the distribution system operator and such seals shall not be broken, damaged or tampered with in any way by the customer. The distribution system operator shall be entitled to charge a fee as stipulated in the Sixth Schedule if any meter or seal is found upon inspection, to be damaged, tampered with or missing. Furthermore, the customer shall be required to pay supply charges based on an estimate of the previous consumption period.

(15) The meters shall be read periodically by the distribution

 system operator in accordance with the Electricity Regulations.

(16) When a customer, after being given reasonable notice, fails to provide access to a person authorised by the distribution system operator for purposes of reading of the meter, the distribution system operator, saving the provisions of regulations 18 and 21, shall continue to charge the customer the meter charge as applicable but shall not, in the absence of a reasonable explanation for such failure, credit the customer with any free consumption for periods during which the premises was not open for the taking of meter readings:

Provided that the customer may provide the readings to the distribution system operator for billing purposes, subject to the distribution system operator being granted access to the metering equipment to verify, and if required adjust, the readings provided by the customer.

(17) If the customer fails or refuses to provide access to his premises for purposes of reading the meter or to verify readings provided by him, or if access for the same purpose is rendered difficult or impossible by the customer, for a period exceeding two (2) months from the notice provided for in sub-regulation (16), the distribution system operator may suspend the relevant customer’s connection.

(18) Special readings of meters may be taken on working days and non-working days at any time as the customer may require, and the fees applicable in item 14 of the Sixth Schedule shall be charged.

(19) The distribution system operator shall test the meter upon request by the customer, who may be present for such test. The distribution system operator shall give the customer a written notice of not less than two (2) working days by printed or electronic means of the date and approximate time of the test. The notice shall also contain the contact details of the representative of the distribution system operator. If the test is to be carried out in a location other than the customer’s premises, the test location shall also be indicated in the notice.

(20) Save for manifest errors, the customer shall accept the result of the test as final and the consumption of electricity from the date of the request by the customer for the meter reading up to the date on which the test is carried out, or the date of removal of the meter for purpose of testing, shall be calculated in accordance with the results of the test, and charged accordingly.

(21) When the meter which is tested at the request of a customer is found to be working correctly, that is, within a limit of over or under two point five percent (2.5%), the customer shall be liable to payment of the relevant fee as provided for in item 13 of the Sixth Schedule.

(22) A customer shall notify in writing the distribution system operator immediately upon becoming aware that a meter is not working correctly. The distribution system operator shall, as soon as practicable repair or replace the meter, and a record of the reading of the new meter at the time of its installation shall be given to the customer.

(23) The consumption of electricity in respect of the period between the reading immediately preceding the reading in relation to which the meter is found to be defective and the installation of a new meter or repair of the meter, as the case may be, shall be reckoned in accordance with sub-regulations (24) or (25), as directed by the distribution system operator.

(24) Where the distribution system operator directs that the consumption provided for in sub-regulation (23) is to be reckoned in accordance with this sub-regulation, the said consumption shall be reckoned on the basis of the average daily rate of consumption:

(a) during the corresponding period of the last preceding year;

(b) during the period between the two (2) readings immediately preceding the reading in relation to which the meter was found to be working incorrectly; or

(c) during the period between the date of the installation of the new meter or the repair of the meter, as the case may be, and a subsequent date which shall be determined by the distribution system operator.

(25) Where the distribution system operator directs that the consumption provided for in sub-regulation (23) shall be reckoned in accordance with this sub-regulation, the said consumption shall be reckoned on the basis of the average daily rate of consumption during the period between the date of installation of the meter which was found to be working incorrectly, or the date on which the customer became accountable with respect to the premises or temporary installation, whichever is the later, and the last day on which the meter was working correctly, as may be determined by the distribution system operator:

Provided that in the case of a customer who has changed residence, where the distribution system operator directs that the consumption shall be reckoned in accordance with this sub-regulation, the average daily rate of consumption in respect of the corresponding period of the last preceding year at the place in respect of which such customer was last accountable prior to the change of residence, shall be the basis on which consumption shall be reckoned.