199—27.2(476) Assigned area of service and maps.
	27.2(1) Service areas. Service areas are defined by the boundaries on service area maps. Electronic maps are available for viewing during regular business hours at the board’s offices. Maps are also available for viewing on the board’s website. These service area maps are the official electric service territory maps as required pursuant to Iowa Code section 476.24 and shall be presumed to be accurate; however, the presumption may be rebutted by filing a request with the board.
	27.2(2) Modification of service area and answers.
	a. 	An exclusive service area is subject to modification through a contested case proceeding which may be commenced by filing a petition for modification of service area with the board. The board may commence a service area modification proceeding on its own motion. The board may grant a modification if the modification promotes the public interest. In determining whether the modification is in the public interest, the board will consider the factors described in Iowa Code section 476.25(1) and any other relevant factors.
	b. 	Any electric cooperative or municipal electric utility may file a petition for modification of service area, which shall contain: (1) a legal description of the service area desired, (2) a designation of the utilities involved in each boundary section, (3) a justification for the proposed service area modification, and (4) in addition to the PDF (Portable Document Format) map required in 199—subrule 14.8(1), an electronic file of the proposed service area boundaries, in a format designated by the board, as described on the electronic filing system (EFS) homepage under EFS filing standards. The justification shall include a detailed statement of why the proposed modification is in the public interest. A map showing the affected areas which complies with paragraph 27.2(4)“a” shall be attached to the petition as an exhibit.
	c. 	Filing of the petition with the board, and service to other parties, shall be in accordance with 199—Chapter 14.
	d. 	An answer to a petition for a service area modification shall comply with 199—subrule 7.9(2).
	e. 	Electric cooperatives and municipal electric utilities may agree with other electric utilities to service territory modifications by contract pursuant to Iowa Code section 476.25(2). Contracts to be enforceable require board approval. The board shall approve a contract if the board finds that the contract will eliminate or avoid unnecessary duplication of facilities, will provide adequate electric service to all areas and customers affected, will promote the efficient and economical use and development of the electric systems of the contracting utilities, and is in the public interest.
	27.2(3) Certificate of authority. Any electric cooperative or municipal electric utility requesting a service territory modification pursuant to subrule 27.2(2) which would result in service to a customer by a public utility other than the public utility currently serving the customer shall also petition the board for a certificate of authority under Iowa Code section 476.23. Unless voluntarily agreed otherwise, the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility shall pay the party currently serving the customer a reasonable price for the facilities serving the customer.
	27.2(4) Maps.
	a. 	Each electric cooperative and municipal electric utility shall maintain a current map or set of maps showing the physical location of electric lines, stations, and electric transmission facilities for its service areas. The maps shall include the exact location of the following:
	(1)	Generating stations, with capacity designation.
	(2)	Purchased power supply points, with maximum contracted capacity designation.
	(3)	Purchased power metering points if located at other than power delivery points.
	(4)	Transmission lines, with size and type of conductor designation and operating voltage designation.
	(5)	Transmission-to-transmission voltage transformation substations, with transformer voltage and capacity designation.
	(6)	Transmission-to-distribution voltage transformation substations, with transformer voltage and capacity designation.
	(7)	Distribution lines, with size and type of conductor designation, phase designation and voltage designation.
	(8)	All points at which transmission, distribution or secondary lines of the utility cross Iowa state boundaries.
	(9)	All current information required in Iowa Code section 476.24(1).
	(10)	All county boundaries and county names.
	(11)	Natural and artificial lakes which cover more than 50 acres and all rivers.
	(12)	Any additional information required by the board.
	b. 	All maps, except those deemed confidential by the board, shall be available for examination at the designated offices of the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility during regular office hours. The maps shall be drawn with clean, uniform lines to a scale of one inch per mile. A large scale shall be used where it is necessary to clarify areas where there is a heavy concentration of facilities. All cartographic details shall be clean cut, and the background shall contain little or no coloration or shading.
[ARC 5865C, IAB 8/25/21, effective 9/29/21]