2014 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 76. Torts
§76-23. Public utilities - Definitions - Fraud - Penalties - Civil liability - Exemptions.

A. As used in this section:

1. "Utility" means any person, firm, corporation, district or association, whether private, municipal, body politic or cooperative, which is engaged in the sale, generation, distribution or delivery of electricity, water or gas;

2. "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation or association; and

3. "Utility service" means the furnishing, sale, generation, distribution or delivery of electricity, water or gas by a utility as defined herein.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person, with intent to defraud a utility, to:

1. Alter, tamper with, injure or knowingly allow the altering, tampering with or injuring of any pipeline, line, wire, conduit, conductor, meter, meter seal, transformer or other equipment used by a utility to deliver or register service;

2. Prevent any installed metering device from registering correctly the quantity of service passing through such metering device;

3. Make or cause to be made any connection between any pipeline, lines, wires, conduits, conductors, meters, transformers or other equipment in such manner as to prevent the correct registration of service by any metering device, or to otherwise use electricity without the consent of the utility; or

4. Supply or cause to be supplied any utility service to any person without such service first passing through the metering device provided by the utility for measuring and registering the quantity of service.

C. Any person who is convicted of violating the provisions of subsection B of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by payment of a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed six (6) months, or by such fine and imprisonment.

D. If a civil action is brought by a utility against a person, said person may post a bond, cash or other security with the utility in an amount equal to the value of the service alleged to be unlawfully used or diverted. Upon posting of said bond or cash, and until final disposition of the case, the utility shall restore to said person any service which it may have terminated.

E. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to licensed and certified contractors while performing usual and ordinary service in accordance with recognized standards.

F. This section shall not be construed as repealing any laws of the state relating to the powers, duties or jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, but shall be held as auxiliary and supplementary thereto.

Added by Laws 1978, c. 89, § 1, emerg. eff. March 28, 1978.