Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules  
Administrative Rules Division (ARD)  
611 W. Ottawa Street  
Lansing, MI 48909  
Phone: 517-335-8658 Fax: 517-335-9512  
REQUEST FOR RULEMAKING (RFR)  
1. Department:  
Licensing and Regulatory Affairs  
2. Bureau:  
Public Service Commission  
3. Promulgation type:  
Full Process  
4. Title of proposed rule set:  
Technical Standards for Electric Service  
5. Rule numbers or rule set range of numbers:  
R 460.3101 - R 460.3908  
6. Estimated time frame:  
12 months  
Name of person filling out RFR:  
Alissa Day  
E-mail of person filling out RFR:  
DayA@michigan.gov  
Phone number of person filling out RFR:  
517-284-8085  
Address of person filling out RFR:  
7109 W. Saginaw Hwy., Lansing, MI 48909  
7. Describe the general purpose of these rules, including any problems the changes are intended  
to address.  
MCL 24.239  
RFR-Page 2  
These rules apply to electric utility service provided by utilities that are subject to the jurisdiction  
of the Public Service Commission. The rules are intended to promote safe and adequate electric  
service to the public, to provide standards for uniform and reasonable electric practices by utilities,  
and to encourage efficiency and safety. The word “electric” is being inserted in front of “utility”  
and the word “cooperative” is being added after “utility” in every rule that is being amended to  
clarify that these rules apply to electric utilities and cooperatives, only, and not alternative electric  
suppliers. Several new definitions are being added to R 460.3102 to assist with clarification. R  
460.3308 is being updated to reflect the most up-to-date version of the American National  
Standards Institute (ANSI) standards for electricity meters, and the prices for copies of the ANSI  
standards need to be updated to reflect current prices. R 460.3309 is being stricken so that it may  
be moved to the Public Service Commission’s “Consumer Standards and Billing Practices for  
Electrical and Gas Residential Service” rules. R 460.3411 is being updated to allow the utilities  
and new customers a meeting, which provides a better opportunity to discuss new service options.  
R 460.3505 is being updated to create a more detailed program for customer notification regarding  
tree-trimming activities. R 460.3506 is being added to ensure that utilities are employing  
sufficient and effective cybersecurity programs. R 460.3613 is being amended to update and  
clarify meter testing requirements. R 460.3613a is being added to provide a separate rule for  
electro-mechanical meter testing requirements. The documentation and reporting requirements in  
R 460.3203, 460.3615, and 460.3617 are being updated. And, language in several rules is being  
stricken because it refers to obsolete technology. The proposed changes to these rules are  
supported by the Public Service Commission and by regulated industry.  
8. Please cite the specific promulgation authority for the rules (i.e. department director,  
commission, board, etc.).  
MCL 460.557, 460.55, 460.4, and 460.6. The aforementioned statutes provide the Public Service  
Commission with general authority to promulgate rules for the conduct of its business and the  
proper discharge of its functions.  
A. Please list all applicable statutory references (MCLs, Executive Orders, etc.).  
MCL 460.557, MCL 460.55, MCL 460.4, MCL 460.6, MCL 460.562(e), MCL 460.32(c), and  
MCL 445.63(b).  
B. Are the rules mandated by any applicable constitutional or statutory provision? If so, please  
explain.  
There is no constitutional or statutory mandate for the rules.  
9. Please describe the extent to which the rules conflict with or duplicate similar rules,  
compliance requirements, or other standards adopted at the state, regional, or federal level.  
The Public Service Commission is not aware of any conflict with or duplication of state and  
federal regulations.  
10. Is the subject matter of the rules currently contained in any guideline, handbook, manual,  
instructional bulletin, form with instructions, or operational memoranda?  
No, however the rules adopt by reference certain national engineering and technical standards.  
11. Are the rules listed on the department’s annual regulatory plan as rules to be processed  
for the current year?  
Yes, the Technical Standards for Electric Service are on LARA’s annual regulatory plan as a rule  
to be processed this year.  
12. Will the proposed rules be promulgated under Section 44 of the Administrative Procedures  
Act, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.244, or under the full rulemaking process?  
Full Process  
MCL 24.239  
RFR-Page 3  
13. Please describe the extent to which the rules exceed similar regulations, compliance  
requirements, or other standards adopted at the state, regional, or federal level.  
These rules do not exceed national or regional compliance requirements or other standards.  
14. Do the rules incorporate the recommendations received from the public regarding any  
complaints or comments regarding the rules? If yes, please explain.  
A team consisting of employees from several large, investor-owned utilities, the Public Service  
Commission Staff, and a trade association formed a work group to assess the rules and propose  
changes. The work group reviewed the rules and submitted a final draft of proposed rules to the  
Public Service Commission. There have been no complaints received or filed with the Public  
Service Commission regarding the current rules. These rules are primarily of concern to the  
electric utilities regulated by the Public Service Commission, thus it is unlikely that members of  
the public will comment.  
15. If amending an existing rule set, please provide the date of the last evaluation of the rules  
and the degree, if any, to which technology, economic conditions, or other factors have changed  
the regulatory activity covered by the rules since the last evaluation.  
These rules were last evaluated in 2017-2018 and amended in 2019. The rules are currently being  
amended, overall, to remove references to obsolete equipment that is no longer used in the field,  
and to insert terms and engineering standards that reflect technological advances in the area of  
metering and metering equipment inspections, tests, and reports. A billing adjustment in Rule 309  
must be stricken and moved to the Public Service Commission's billing rules. In addition, the  
extension of electric service in Rule 411 will be amended to permit a meeting between utility and  
customer to discuss switching electric service providers. Finally, the line clearing requirements in  
Rule 505 will be amended to include additional requirements for utility line clearing programs and  
to increase notification requirements.  
16. Are there any changes or developments since implementation that demonstrate there is no  
continued need for the rules, or any portion of the rules?  
No. There is a continued need for this complete set of rules, as amended.  
17. Is there an applicable decision record (as defined in MCL 24.203(6) and required by MCL  
24.239(2))? If so, please attach the decision record.  
No  
MCL 24.239  
;