Utility Service Tampering
KUB values the safety and well-being of its customers and employees. To maintain safety, KUB seals or locks all metering equipment.
KUB authorizes only KUB employees and KUB contractors to cut, break, or remove a seal or lock on meters and other equipment. KUB customers or customer-hired contractors should never tamper with KUB equipment in any way that would:
- Divert service
- Prevent any meter or other device used in determining the charge for service from accurately performing its measuring function by tampering or by any other means
- Tamper with any property owned by or used by KUB to provide service
- Connect or reconnect with property owned or used by KUB to provide service without the authorization or consent of KUB
Home Construction Projects That Require Utility Infrastructure Adjustments
There is no reason a KUB customer, customer-hired contractor, or other unauthorized person should tamper with KUB equipment.
If a customer needs to perform work that requires the removal of a meter seal or lock:
- Submit a request to KUB at least 24 hours in advance of when the work is needed. Be prepared to share your name, phone number, address requiring work, and the meter number. Submit a request using one of the three following methods:
- Fill out this form.
- Contact the KUB Meters Department at 865-558-2385 weekdays from 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Contact the main KUB Customer Service Center at 865-524-2911 after-hours.
- A KUB employee or agent will unlock the meter within 24 hours of the request
- KUB will notify appropriate city or county inspection agencies regarding all seal or lock removal requests.
Failure to notify KUB for removal of meter seals or locks may result in tampering fees or charges for damaging KUB equipment, as outlined in the details below.
Utility Service Tampering Details
No one shall do anything which will in any way interfere with or prevent the proper registration of a meter. No one shall tamper with or work on a meter without the written permission of KUB. No one shall install any wires or other devices which will cause service to pass through or around a meter without the passage of such service being registered fully by the meter.
All metering equipment will be sealed by KUB for protection. No one, except authorized KUB employees, KUB contractors or agents, shall cut, break, or otherwise remove a KUB seal on meters or metering equipment.
KUB will assess Revenue Protection and Recovery Charges against any person who tampers with or damages any system equipment, including but not limited to meters or any device used to measure utility service to a premise. Any such charges shall be set forth in Appendix A of KUB's Service Procedures.
Tennessee state law (TCA 65-35-101 et.seq.) addresses fraud, theft, or destruction of property of public utilities in the state. TCA 65-35-104 provides that any person violating the provisions of TCA 65-35-102 ("prohibited Acts") is liable civilly for damages resulting from such violation, including actual, compensatory, incidental and punitive damages, which is three (3) times KUB's estimated loss of revenue plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs associated with such loss. In the event KUB brings a civil action in any court of appropriate jurisdiction against any person violating any of the acts prohibited by TCA 65-35-102, and upon a finding by the court that said person violated TCA 65-35-102, KUB shall also assess against said person the level of damages determined by the court.
In the absence of an identifiable tenant, the owner of any premises may be presumed to be the occupant of such premises for purposes of these service procedures and KUB’s remedies for service tampering.
The current charges related to utility service tampering are shown in the tables below:
Electric Service
| Tamper Fee (per event) | $375 |
| Seal Tamper (alter, cut, or remove meter seal) | $50 |
| Cut at Pole (service wires to the customer meter center are cut at pole) | $675 |
| Remove Service Wires (service wires from pole to the meter center removed) | $675 |
| Damages to Equipment (cost of materials; meter, meter band, lockband, seal, etc.) | Yes |
| Estimated Usage | Yes |
| Intact Electric Meter Seal | Altered Electric Meter Seal |
 |
 |
Natural Gas Service
| Tamper Fee (per event) | $375 |
| Seal Tamper (alter, cut, or remove meter seal) | $50 |
| Condemn at Main (disconnect the customer service line from KUB main) | $1,295 |
| Damages to Equipment (cost of materials; meter, regulator gas riser, gas inlet valve, lock, etc.) | Yes |
| Estimated Usage | Yes |
| Intact Natural Gas Meter Lock | Removed Natural Gas Meter Lock |
 |
 |
Water Service
| Tamper Fee (per event) | $375 |
| Seal Tamper (alter, cut or remove meter index seal) | $50 |
| Condemn at Main (disconnect service line from KUB main) | $1,295 |
| Damages to Equipment (cost of materials; meter, meter horn, valves, meter well, lock, etc.) | Yes |
| Estimated Usage | Yes |
| Intact Water Meter with Viper Seal | Altered Water Meter with Viper Seal |
 |
 |
| Intact Water Meter with Lock | Altered Water Meter with Lock Removed |
 |
 |
Wastewater Service
| Tamper Fee (per event, if applicable) | $375 |
| Damage Fees (cost of repairs or replacement; sewer mains, manholes, etc.) | Yes |
| Estimated Usage | Yes |