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  
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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.  
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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.  
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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.  
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