40-491 Definitions


In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:


1 "Customer" means the person in whose name a utility service is provided.


2. "Person" means an individual, partnership, firm, association or corporation.


3. "Reconnection" means the restoration of utility service to a customer or other
person after service has been legally disconnected by the utility.


4. "Tampering" means if the utility service is measured or registered by a meter
and any of the following actions are taken prior to or at the point at which the meter
registers or measures the utility service or if the utility service is not measured or
registered by a meter if any of the following action is committed against property owned
or operated by the utility for transmission of utility service:


(a) Connecting any wire, conduit or device to any service or transmission line
owned by a utility.


(b) Defacing, puncturing, removing, reversing or altering any meter or any
connections to secure unauthorized or unmeasured utility service.


(c) Preventing any meter from properly measuring or registering.


(d) Knowingly taking, receiving, using or converting to personal use or the use of
another any utility service which has not been measured or authorized.


(e) Diverting or changing the intended course or path of the utility service
without the authorization or consent of the utility.


(f) Causing, procuring, permitting, aiding or abetting any person to do any of the
acts in subdivisions (a) through (f).


5. "Utility" means any public service corporation, licensed cable television
system, telephone line or telegraph line corporation or person engaged in the generation,
transmission or delivery of electricity, gas, telephone, cable television, telegraph or
water service, including this state or any political subdivision or agency of this state.


6. "Utility service" means the provision of services or commodities by the utility
for compensation.