Power board recommends updated underground standards with meter-height limits

The Hurricane City Power Board voted to recommend the City Council approve an update to the utility's underground standards that adds clear meter-height limits and a four‑meter stack maximum.

Presenter said the update removes a transformer-sizing table and replaces it with a statement that "Hurricane City Power will size the transformers," and proposed changing the measurement point so the rule references the center line of the disconnect rather than the center line of the meter: "instead of referencing the center line of the meter, referencing the center line of the disconnect, disconnect because that's the part that code is mostly concerned about." The change was presented as a safety and accessibility measure tied to building-code requirements.

Board members debated minimum and maximum installation heights and stack sizes. Committee member noted practical installer heights and measured sample installations, saying many single‑use meters are centered near 3 foot 6 inches and that one common commercial arrangement was "3 foot 1 to the center of the meter." The board discussed a practical low limit (members suggested 3 feet to 3.5 feet) and acknowledged the NEC code maximum of 6 feet 7 inches for disconnect accessibility.

Committee member moved the recommendation to the City Council "with the changes of a 3 foot, minimum from ground to the center of the bottom meter, the 6 foot 7 maximum height to the breaker or to the top meter, and only 4 stack meters," and a colleague seconded the motion. The Chair called for a voice vote and members signaled assent; no opposing votes were recorded in the meeting transcript. The board's action is a recommendation to the City Council rather than a final administrative change.

The updated standard also asked staff to follow up on drawing revisions so construction drawings match the approved standards and to resolve conduit-depth tables (members discussed 36‑inch, 30‑inch, 24‑inch and 18‑inch references for different conduit conditions). The presenter said she would finalize the wording and update the drawings after members decide on the minimum height.

The recommendation now goes to the City Council for consideration; the board requested staff record the chosen minimum and maximum and reflect them in the finalized standards and drawings.