Panel: Excess Flow Valves for Multi-Family Residential and
the voice and choice of public gas
Panel: Excess Flow Valves for Multi-Family Residential and Commercial Service Lines
the voice and choice of public gas
What is an Excess Flow Valve? • Installed in a service line close to the connection to the main • Designed to close if flow exceeds a preset trip point • Performance standard requires EFVs not close at flows below their trip point and must close if flows exceed 150% of the trip point • Uses gas pressure to close the valve – EFVs have minimum pressure requirements
Excess Flow Valves the voice and choice of public gas
Final Rule the voice and choice of public gas
• Published October 14, 2016 • Effective April 14, 2017 • Rule has three requirements: 1. Install EFVs on certain new and replaced services to multi-family residential and small commercial customers 2. Install manual shut off (“curb”) valves or EFVs on new and replaced services with meter capacity > 1,000 cubic feet per hour 3. Notify existing and new customers about EFVs and install an EFV if requested
the voice and choice of public gas
APGA Survey • 26 responses • Respondents serve ~1.4 million customers • 3 customers requested to have EFV installed
the voice and choice of public gas
the voice and choice of public gas
Excess Flow Valve Update APGA Operations Conference
Steve Squibb, P.E. Manager – Natural Gas Operations November 13, 2017
Gas System Overview • 83,700 Natural Gas Customers – 75,000 Residential Customers – 16,000 EFVs
• Valve Inspections – Only inspect emergency valves annually – Desire to start a non-emergency valve inspection program
EFV Program ≤ 1,000 SCFH
> 1,000 SCFH
Single-Family Residential Service Line
EFV
EFV
Multi-Family Residential Service Line
EFV
Manual Valve
Single Customer Commercial Service Line
EFV and Manual Valve
Manual Valve
Multi Customer Commercial Service Line
Manual Valve
Manual Valve
Manual valves required by the EFV Rule will be inspected every 5-years Manual valves not required by the EFV Rule will not be inspected
Customer Notification • Utility Bill Message – Annual notification directing customers to our website – Reaches all customers (paper and paperless bills)
• Website Message – Fixed fee installation charge of $800 – No customer maintenance cost
• Optional Information – An EFV is not designed to protect against customer piping leaks – Hubble EFV Illustration – Call 811 before you dig
New EFV Program Update • Only Two EFV Inquiries From Customers – Resulted in no installations – Cost of $800 was too expensive
• Employee Training – EFVs are being designed and installed appropriately – Confusion on “Service Valve” designation for inspections
EFV Program Going Forward • Continue EFV Program as Planned • Refresher Training on “Service Valve” Designation • Query GIS Data to Ensure “Service Valve” Designation is Accurate
City of Tallahassee Natural Gas Utility APGA Operations Conference How is the EFV Rule Working Out? 11/13/17 Stephen Mayfield Manager Gas Operations
Gas Utility EFV Overview Providing Service for 60 years 31,000 Service Points (Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla) Started installing EFVs on all services early 2000s Over 10,000 services without EFVs
EFVs Vs. Service Valves
Increase use of higher capacity EFVs ◦ Install 1800 – 2600 EFVs on commercial services
Manual Service Valves on all other services
Valves
Install manual valves on services with capacity > 2,600 scfh
Valve Maintenance
◦ Manufacturer’s Specification ◦ O&M Plan
City of Tallahassee performs non-critical valve maintenance on a 5-year rotation.
Customer Notification
Bill stuffer posting directing to Website:
An Excess Flow safety device may be available for your residential or small commercial natural gas service line. For more information, visit Talgov.com/gas.
Customer Notification Posted on Website http://www.talgov.com/you/excess-flowvalves.aspx
What an Excess Flow Valve is, What it does, And costs to customer.
Summary
What was expected?
What occurred?
What’s next?
CRM – Natural Gas System 18,971 gas services; ~15,000 residential 60 psi systemwide 80% plastic; 20% coated, protected steel Have been installing SFR EFVs since 2001 We also installed EFVs on small commercial services prior
to the new regulation
The new process… Service
¾”
2” or greater
Single-Family Residence
EFV – 800, 1100, or 1800
Not applicable
Multi-Family Residence
EFV up to 1800
Curb Valve – 5 yr maintenance schedule
Commercial Customer EFV up to 1800
Curb Valve – 5 yr maintenance schedule
*We only stock 800, 1100, & 1800 EFV for ¾” services – This keeps our variety low, allows for standard designs, and simple procedures
Notification of customers… Website: Information stating definition of an EFV, as well
as our procedures, and the circumstances when a customer will be charged Energy Connection Newsletter: Using the same information posted on the website, this is sent to utility customers Press Release: Issued a press release with the same information posted on the website
Costs Standard EFV installations during new service or renewal
of service will be at no cost to the customer
Requests to install EFVs on existing services will be at no
cost to the customer; EFV to be installed within 1 year of the request
Upgrading an EFV due to additional load will be billed
labor & material. This will be completed within 7 days of receiving the application
So far… We have received a handful of inquiries asking for more
information; some of these already had EFVs in place
Only one customer decided to have an EFV installed; most
of those inquiring decided against it
We renewed a small amount of commercial services since
the ruling, most of which we installed curb valves (2”)
Panel: Excess Flow Valves for Multi-Family Residential and Commercial Service Lines
the voice and choice of public gas
What is an Excess Flow Valve? • Installed in a service line close to the connection to the main • Designed to close if flow exceeds a preset trip point • Performance standard requires EFVs not close at flows below their trip point and must close if flows exceed 150% of the trip point • Uses gas pressure to close the valve – EFVs have minimum pressure requirements
Excess Flow Valves the voice and choice of public gas
Final Rule the voice and choice of public gas
• Published October 14, 2016 • Effective April 14, 2017 • Rule has three requirements: 1. Install EFVs on certain new and replaced services to multi-family residential and small commercial customers 2. Install manual shut off (“curb”) valves or EFVs on new and replaced services with meter capacity > 1,000 cubic feet per hour 3. Notify existing and new customers about EFVs and install an EFV if requested
the voice and choice of public gas
APGA Survey • 26 responses • Respondents serve ~1.4 million customers • 3 customers requested to have EFV installed
the voice and choice of public gas
the voice and choice of public gas
Excess Flow Valve Update APGA Operations Conference
Steve Squibb, P.E. Manager – Natural Gas Operations November 13, 2017
Gas System Overview • 83,700 Natural Gas Customers – 75,000 Residential Customers – 16,000 EFVs
• Valve Inspections – Only inspect emergency valves annually – Desire to start a non-emergency valve inspection program
EFV Program ≤ 1,000 SCFH
> 1,000 SCFH
Single-Family Residential Service Line
EFV
EFV
Multi-Family Residential Service Line
EFV
Manual Valve
Single Customer Commercial Service Line
EFV and Manual Valve
Manual Valve
Multi Customer Commercial Service Line
Manual Valve
Manual Valve
Manual valves required by the EFV Rule will be inspected every 5-years Manual valves not required by the EFV Rule will not be inspected
Customer Notification • Utility Bill Message – Annual notification directing customers to our website – Reaches all customers (paper and paperless bills)
• Website Message – Fixed fee installation charge of $800 – No customer maintenance cost
• Optional Information – An EFV is not designed to protect against customer piping leaks – Hubble EFV Illustration – Call 811 before you dig
New EFV Program Update • Only Two EFV Inquiries From Customers – Resulted in no installations – Cost of $800 was too expensive
• Employee Training – EFVs are being designed and installed appropriately – Confusion on “Service Valve” designation for inspections
EFV Program Going Forward • Continue EFV Program as Planned • Refresher Training on “Service Valve” Designation • Query GIS Data to Ensure “Service Valve” Designation is Accurate
City of Tallahassee Natural Gas Utility APGA Operations Conference How is the EFV Rule Working Out? 11/13/17 Stephen Mayfield Manager Gas Operations
Gas Utility EFV Overview Providing Service for 60 years 31,000 Service Points (Leon, Gadsden and Wakulla) Started installing EFVs on all services early 2000s Over 10,000 services without EFVs
EFVs Vs. Service Valves
Increase use of higher capacity EFVs ◦ Install 1800 – 2600 EFVs on commercial services
Manual Service Valves on all other services
Valves
Install manual valves on services with capacity > 2,600 scfh
Valve Maintenance
◦ Manufacturer’s Specification ◦ O&M Plan
City of Tallahassee performs non-critical valve maintenance on a 5-year rotation.
Customer Notification
Bill stuffer posting directing to Website:
An Excess Flow safety device may be available for your residential or small commercial natural gas service line. For more information, visit Talgov.com/gas.
Customer Notification Posted on Website http://www.talgov.com/you/excess-flowvalves.aspx
What an Excess Flow Valve is, What it does, And costs to customer.
Summary
What was expected?
What occurred?
What’s next?
CRM – Natural Gas System 18,971 gas services; ~15,000 residential 60 psi systemwide 80% plastic; 20% coated, protected steel Have been installing SFR EFVs since 2001 We also installed EFVs on small commercial services prior
to the new regulation
The new process… Service
¾”
2” or greater
Single-Family Residence
EFV – 800, 1100, or 1800
Not applicable
Multi-Family Residence
EFV up to 1800
Curb Valve – 5 yr maintenance schedule
Commercial Customer EFV up to 1800
Curb Valve – 5 yr maintenance schedule
*We only stock 800, 1100, & 1800 EFV for ¾” services – This keeps our variety low, allows for standard designs, and simple procedures
Notification of customers… Website: Information stating definition of an EFV, as well
as our procedures, and the circumstances when a customer will be charged Energy Connection Newsletter: Using the same information posted on the website, this is sent to utility customers Press Release: Issued a press release with the same information posted on the website
Costs Standard EFV installations during new service or renewal
of service will be at no cost to the customer
Requests to install EFVs on existing services will be at no
cost to the customer; EFV to be installed within 1 year of the request
Upgrading an EFV due to additional load will be billed
labor & material. This will be completed within 7 days of receiving the application
So far… We have received a handful of inquiries asking for more
information; some of these already had EFVs in place
Only one customer decided to have an EFV installed; most
of those inquiring decided against it
We renewed a small amount of commercial services since
the ruling, most of which we installed curb valves (2”)
