G-18—Reverification periods for gas meters, ancillary devices and metering installations

Category: Gas
Issue date:
Effective date:
Revision number: 4
Supersedes: G-18, rev. 3


Table of contents


1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to communicate the reverification periods for gas meters, ancillary devices (including volume conversion devices) and metering installations, as established pursuant to the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, and to provide associated policies.

2.0 Authority

The reverification periods set out in this bulletin have been established in accordance with section 12 of the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act.

No requirement in this bulletin is to be construed as limiting the powers of the President in his capacity as Director under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and Regulations.

3.0 References

  1. Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, s. 12
  2. Electricity and Gas Inspection Regulations, ss. 3(1), s. 19
  3. S-EG-01—Electricity and Gas Meter Pattern Approval Applications – Quality and Measurement Reliability Information Requirements
  4. S-S-05—Performance Requirements Applicable to Meters Granted a Conditionally Lengthened Initial Reverification Period under S-EG-01
  5. S-S-06—Sampling Plans for the Inspection of Isolated Lots of Meters in Service
  6. G-03—Natural Gas Meters and Ancillary Devices Qualified for a Lengthened Initial Reverification Period
  7. GEN-24—Verification, Reverification and Sealing of Electricity and Gas Metering Installations
  8. GEN-33—Conditional Permission for using Electricity and Gas Telemetering Devices and Systems in Service without Verification and Sealing

4.0 Definitions

Extension to a reverification period (prolongation de la période de revérification)

An amount of time added to the reverification period of a meter or a lot of meters which has already been in use for a period of time upon determining that the meter or lot of meters conforms to legal requirements. The meter or lot of meters may have been 100% inspected or inspected by authorized statistical sampling methods.

Initial reverification period (période de revérification initiale)

The period within which a new or renewed meter must be reverified or removed from service.

New meter (compteur neuf)

A meter newly produced by a manufacturer under the controlled conditions and documented procedures of the manufacturer's quality management system. This includes newly produced and verified meters which have been in storage for a period of up to 24 months, where it can be demonstrated that the meter has never been placed into service and the meter manufacturer's storage specifications have been met as concerns new meter equivalency status.

Renewed meter (compteur remis à neuf)

A previously used meter restored to the technical and metrological state of a new meter, as performed and attested to by the meter manufacturer. It can also mean a meter restored to the technical and metrological state of a new meter in accordance with the meter manufacturer's specifications and procedures as concerns meter renewal, where these procedures form part of the quality management system of a Measurement Canada-accredited organization.

Reserviced meter (compteur remis à niveau)

A previously used meter subjected to calibration or light repair under the controlled conditions and documented procedures of an accredited organization's quality management system recognized by Measurement Canada.

Reverification (revérification)

Any subsequent confirmation of a meter's conformance to legal requirements following its initial verification of conformance with those same requirements.

Reverification period (période de revérification)

The period within which a meter must be reverified or removed from service.

5.0 Policy

5.1 General

The President of Measurement Canada, in his capacity as director under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act, will determine the length of meter reverification periods and extensions of such periods.

Meters must be reverified within appropriate periods established on the basis of their stability of performance, application and usage. Reverification periods are to be established such that meters are inspected or removed prior to any probable change in accuracy that is of significance in the course of the meters' use.

The meters to which this bulletin applies remain subject to all relevant requirements of the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act and Regulations, including the provisions for measurement dispute investigation testing and device performance limits of error. Measurement Canada may inspect these devices for compliance with the requirements through performance monitoring in accordance with current work instruments and at times arranged by Measurement Canada regional or district management and contractors.

5.2 Initial reverification periods

For a meter type set out in an item of columns I and II of the tables in the Annex, each new meter of such type or subtype is to be submitted to reverification, together with resealing or marking, or to cancellation of the seal or mark, as the case may require, within the period set out in column III of that item from verification.

For a meter type not set out in an item of columns I and II of the tables in the Annex, the meter's reverification period is to be established in accordance with the document referenced in 3.0(a) and section 5.1.

5.3 Extensions to reverification periods

5.3.1 Homogeneous lots of in-service meters

For a homogeneous lot of meters in service which is inspected by the compliance sampling methods authorized by the document referenced in 3.0(b) and meets reverification requirements established for this purpose, the reverification period of the meters in the lot is to be extended by an amount of time based on the extent of the lot's compliance, not to exceed the applicable period set out in:

  1. column IV of the tables in the Annex until ; and
  2. column V of the tables in the Annex, effective .

5.3.2 Reserviced meters

For a meter which is recalled per its initial or a subsequent reverification period, is not part of a lot of meters in service (as described under 5.3.1) and has been reserviced to meet reverification requirements, the subsequent reverification period is to be equal in duration to the applicable period set out in:

  1. column IV of the tables in the Annex until ; and
  2. column V of the tables in the Annex, effective .

5.3.3 Renewed meters

For a meter which is recalled per its initial or a subsequent reverification period, is not part of a lot of meters in service (as described under 5.3.1) and has been renewed to meet reverification requirements, the subsequent reverification period is to be equal in duration to the applicable initial reverification period set out in column III of the tables in the Annex.

5.4 Lengthening of initial reverification periods

5.4.1 Conditionally lengthened initial reverification periods

A reverification period for a particular meter, class, type or design is to be considered as conditionally lengthened when:

  1. the requirements of the documents referenced in 3.0(c) and (d) have been met and the specific meter type, class, make, model, configuration, rating or capacity has been identified and formally communicated by Measurement Canada in the document referenced in 3.0(f) as one to which a lengthened initial reverification period may be applicable; and
  2. national meter performance results from preceding reverification inspections, including interim inspections performed under designed experiments, do not exist, are not available in required quantities or do not reflect the required in-service duration periods needed to support the granting of an unconditionally lengthened initial reverification period.

Conditionally lengthened initial verification periods may be limited in their application (e.g. meters which are initially verified after a certain date). Meters to which a conditionally lengthened initial reverification period applies will typically be subjected to further in-service testing and performance criteria as an interim measure prior to the expiry of the initial reverification period.

5.4.2 Unconditionally lengthened initial reverification periods

A lengthened reverification period will be considered unconditional and retroactive to all approved meters covered by an approval applicant's attestation, regardless of a meter's verification date or other criteria, where:

  1. the lengthened initial reverification period is stated in the meter's Notice of Approval; or
  2. the performance results at preceding reverification inspections, including interim inspections performed under designed experiments provide evidence that the lengthened reverification period has not adversely affected confidence in the accuracy of the meters as concerns their continued compliance with the requirements of the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act.

Where the evidence submitted in accordance with item (b) is deemed to meet the applicable specification requirements, the lengthened initial reverification period's unconditional application will be formally communicated by Measurement Canada in the document referenced in 3.0(f).

5.5 Shortening of reverification periods

A reverification period for a particular meter class, type or design may be formally shortened to ensure continued accuracy and compliance with legal requirements, if results at preceding, interim or future inspections are unsatisfactory.

5.6 Reverification periods for combination meters

In the case of a combination meter that performs the functions of more than one of the meters set out in columns I and II of the tables in the Annex, the reverification period for the combination meter is to be that of the individual metering function with the shortest reverification period.

5.7 Reverification date calculations

Subject to the following paragraph, a meter is to be considered due for reverification on or before December 31 of the calendar year calculated as the sum of the meter's verification or reverification year, as the case may be, and the period set out in column III, IV or V of the tables in the Annex, as applicable.

Where a homogeneous lot of meters in service was inspected using compliance sampling methods, the reverification due date for the meters in the lot is to be calculated in accordance with the requirements of the document referenced in 3.0(e).

5.8 Implementation

Subsequent reverification periods granted to previously verified or reverified meters, ancillary devices or metering installations in accordance with 5.3.1 or 5.3.2 remain valid until their expiration.

Modular-type rotary meter volume conversion devices previously assigned a six-year initial or subsequent reverification period are to continue to retain this assigned reverification period until its expiry.

Subject to any applicability limitations or conditions as stated in the document referenced in 3.0(f), lengthened initial reverification periods are retroactively applicable to in-service meters.

6.0 Revisions

The purpose of revision 4 was to:

  • remove chart recorders and the associated note from Table 3.
  • remove clauses from section 5.7 that are addressed in the document referenced in 3.0(e).
  • revise the document to conform to new document format requirements.

The purpose of revision 3 was to:

  • amend Annex 1 to include a lengthened initial reverification period for certain qualified ultrasonic meters and electronic volume correctors.
  • amend Annex 1 to include the subsequent reverification periods granted under S-S-06.
  • amend the policy to address when the subsequent reverification periods granted under S-S-06 are applicable.

The purpose of revision 2 was to:

  • expand the scope of the bulletin such that it is applicable to all manners of meter verifications.
  • amend the policy to recognize the potential lengthening of initial reverification period for gas meters.
  • amend the policy to recognize the potential for shortening gas meter initial reverification periods.
  • amend the policy for subsequent reverification periods granted to meters which are not new or have not been renewed.
  • amend Annex 1 to include a lengthened initial reverification period for certain qualified diaphragm meters.
  • amend the terminology.

Annex

Table 1: Volumetric meters
Column I Column II Column III Column IV Column V
Type Subtype or note Initial reverification period Subsequent reverification period (until ) Subsequent reverification period (effective )
1. Diaphragm Meters with rated air capacity ≥ 240 cubic ft/hour (6.8 m³/hr) 7 years 6 years 5 years
Meters with rated air capacity < 240 cubic ft/hour (6.8 m³/hr)

Qualifying under 5.4: 10 years

All others: 7 years

Qualifying under 5.4: 6 years

All others: 6 years

Qualifying under 5.4: 8 years

All others: 5 years

2. Rotary Pressure body 20 years 17 years 16 years
3. Turbine All types 6 years 5 years 4 years
4. Orifice plates, fitting, tubes and flow conditioner 6 years 5 years 4 years
5. Ultrasonic Ultrasonic gas meter

Qualifying under 5.4: 10 years

All others: 6 years

Qualifying under 5.4: 6 years

All others: 5 years

Qualifying under 5.4: 8 years

All others: 4 years

6. Fluidic oscillation All types 6 years 5 years 4 years
7. Vortex All types 6 years 5 years 4 years
8. Cone-shaped differential pressure All types 6 years 5 years 4 years

Note: Table 1 also applies to those listed device types with integrated pulse initiators, remote registers (indexes), remote meter-reading or automatic meter-reading devices, correction devices or linearization functionsFootnote 1 and event loggers.

Table 2: Mass flow meters
Column I Column II Column III Column IV Column V
Type Subtype or note Initial reverification period Subsequent reverification period
(until )
Subsequent reverification period (effective )
9. Coriolis Natural gas vehicle refueling dispenser system 1 year 1 year 1 year
All other types 6 years 5 years 4 years

Note: Table 2 also applies to those listed device types with integrated pulse initiators, remote indexes, remote meter-reading or automatic meter-reading devices and event loggers.

Table 3: Pressure and temperature measuring and/or conversion devices
Column I Column II Column III Column IV Column V
Type Subtype or note Initial reverification period Subsequent reverification period (until ) Subsequent reverification period (effective )
10. Mechanical-type volume conversion device
  • Rotary meter modules
  • All other types
7 years 6 years 5 years
11. Electronic-type volume conversion device All types

Qualifying under 5.4: 12 years

All others: 7 years

Qualifying under 5.4: 10 years

All others: 6 years

Qualifying under 5.4: 10 years

All others: 5 years

12. Flow computer All types 6 years 5 years 4 years
13. Transducer or transmitter All types 7 years 6 years 5 years

Note: Table 3 also applies to those listed device types with integrated pulse initiators, remote meter reading or automatic meter reading devices, and event loggers.

Table 4: Other meters, devices and installations
Column I Column II Column III Column IV Column V
Type Subtype or note Initial reverification period Subsequent reverification period (until ) Subsequent reverification period (effective )
14. Gas analyzer or chromatograph All types 1 year 1 year 1 year
15. Energy density All types 1 year 1 year 1 year
16. Relative density All types 1 year 1 year 1 year
17. Flow conditioner
  • Perforated plate
  • Tube bundle (straightening vanes)
same as host meter same as host meter same as host meter
18. Correction device All typesFootnote 1 same as host meter same as host meter same as host meter
19. Ticket printer All types same as host meter same as host meter same as host meter
20. Telemetering device or system All types refer to 3.0(h) refer to 3.0(h) refer to 3.0(h)
21. Metering installations Pressure factor metering refer to 3.0(g) refer to 3.0(g) refer to 3.0(g)
All other types refer to 3.0(g) refer to 3.0(g) refer to 3.0(g)