B767-300 FO QUESTIONS WISDOM OF FUELING DURING ELECTRICAL STORM.

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DURING PREFLT AFTER LONG DELAY DUE TO WX AND RAMP PERSONNEL OFF RAMP DUE TO TSTMS/LIGHTNING; STARTED WALKAROUND SAW FUELER UNDER WING. PART WAY THROUGH WALKAROUND LIGHTNING BEGAN FLASHING OVERHEAD WITH THUNDER (LIT UP SKY OVERHEAD). I ASKED FUELER IF HE INTENDED ON FUELING AS WE HAD OVER 100 PAX ON BOARD. HE STATED THAT HE'D BEEN TOLD BY THE RAMP CTLR TO BEGIN FUELING. I ASKED HIM WHAT THE RULES WERE ABOUT FUELING WITH LIGHTNING PRESENT. HE SAID NOT ALLOWED BUT EVEN SO HE'D BEEN ORDERED TO DO IT. I TOLD HIM TO DO THE SAFEST THING AND RETURNED TO THE JETWAY UNTIL THE WALKAROUND COULD BE SAFELY ACCOMPLISHED. THE RAMP CTLR CALLED THE CAPT. WANTED TO KNOW IF I'D TOLD THE FUELER NOT TO FUEL. HE TOLD THEM NO THAT I'D EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE SITUATION. AT XA15L; I CALLED THE RAMP CTLR. ASKED HER WHO MADE THE DECISION TO FUEL US WHILE THERE WAS LIGHTNING PRESENT. SAID SHE DID. I ASKED HER WHY. SHE SAID THEY HAD TO RELY ON THEIR COMPUTER WHICH TOLD THEM WHEN LIGHTNING WAS WITHIN 25 MI. ALL THIS WHILE; LIGHTNING WAS FLASHING OVERHEAD WITH THUNDER. WHEN A PARTICULARLY LARGE BOLT FLASHED WITH THUNDER I ASKED HER IF SHE WAS IN THE RAMP TWR. SHE SAID YES. I ASKED HER IF SHE SAW THAT. SHE SAID YES. I ASKED HER IF SHE THOUGHT THIS WAS A SAFE OP. SHE SAID 'WE HAVE TO RELY ON OUR EQUIP.' I ASKED HER AGAIN IF IT WAS A SAFE SITUATION. SHE SAID; 'NO; GO AHEAD AND WRITE IT UP; NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE HERE UNTIL SOMEONE DOES.' THE FUELER WAS PLACED IN A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION AND WE FELT THE PRESSURE TO GET THE ACFT OUT BEFORE CREW LEGALITIES BECAME A PROB. LED TO POOR DECISIONS AND UNSAFE FUELING OPS.