SECTION 165:45-17-31. Interconnection

(a)   In order to facilitate the Commission's policy to encourage new market entrants, upon the effective date of the rules of this Subchapter, each gas utility shall have the duty to provide for the interconnection of the facilities and equipment of any requesting pipeline with such utility's facilities:

(1)   At any technically feasible point with the gas utility's system at or upstream of each citygate or Commission approved aggregation point;

(2)   In a manner that is, at least equal in quality to that provided by the utility to itself or to any affiliate, or any other party to which the utility provides interconnection.

(b)   Although the Commission seeks to encourage new market entrants, new market entrants are strongly encouraged to bear the reasonable financial costs associated with interconnections. However, in no circumstances should the bid of the new market entrant be deemed inadequate due to the desire of the entrant to have the utility bear the cost for interconnection. In no event shall the utility seek recovery for the interconnection costs borne by the new market entrant.

(c)   The requesting party shall reimburse the utility for all reasonable costs of an interconnection, unless the Commission, after notice and hearing, finds that it is in the best interests of the utilities' consumers for the utility to bear the cost of the interconnection.

(d)   The utility may recover from its utility customers the costs involved with providing the interconnection which the Commission has determined, after notice and hearing, to be economically justified.

[Source: Added at 15 Ok Reg 2177, eff 7-1-98; Amended at 36 Ok Reg 668, eff 7-25-19]