Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 126 - PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION › Division 04 - Legal › Rule 126.04.16-001 - APSC - General Service Rules

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
DEFINITIONS
Answered
Answered means that an employee or automated system is ready to
				provide assistance and accept the information necessary to process the call and
				is not simply an acknowledgement of the customer.
Applicant
Any person or entity requesting utility service, except as
				excluded by the Exception in the Commission's General Service Rules, Section
				3.01.B.
Automated System
A menu driven, automated, interactive, answering system which
				includes the option of transferring to an employee.
Business Office
A utility office where an individual may arrange for service
				connection, make or arrange to make payments on his bill, and ask questions
				regarding service or the status of his account.
Busy-out Rate
The number of calls to a call center that received a busy
				signal divided by the number of calls that were attempted.
Call Center
A centralized operation staffed and dedicated to responding to
				telephone calls from retail customers regarding service, billing, outages, and
				other issues concerning regulated utility service.
Calls Attempted
Calls received plus the total number of busy calls.
Calls Busy
Calls attempted by customers to the utility's call center that
				receive a busy signal.
Calls Received
Calls that have entered the customer premise equipment or
				telephone system of a utility call center.
Character of Service
The distinguishing features that identify the type of service
				provided to the customer, for example, three-phase service or call waiting
				service.
Class of Service
A customer group which has similar characteristics such as
				volume of use, time of use, extent of use and nature and purpose of use, as
				classified by the utility and approved by the Commission for ratemaking
				purposes. For example, the commercial or residential class of service.
Closed or "Finaled" Account
A permanent shut-off of service by a utility to a customer
				account.
Commission
The Arkansas Public Service Commission.
Complaint
Any objection from an applicant or customer concerning a
				charge, facility, rule, service, or other Commission-regulated activity that
				requires:
(1) an investigation or an
			 account review; and
(2) corrective
			 action by a utility.
EXCEPTIONS
:
Trouble reports, as defined in the Commission's Special Rules,
				shall not be considered complaints under this definition.
Corresponding Water Utility
An individual or entity that owns or operates equipment or
				facilities for diverting, developing, pumping, impounding, distributing, or
				furnishing water to or for the public for consumption as defined in Ark. Code
				Ann. §
								14-234-702(1).
Customer
Any person or entity who has applied for and agreed to pay for
				utility service.
Deposit
An amount paid to a utility by an applicant or customer to
				guarantee payment for utility service.
Display
To have an item conspicuously available for public inspection
				in the public reception area of each utility business office.
Elderly Person
A residential customer who is at least 65 years old.
Estimated Bill
Any bill which does not reflect an actual meter reading for
				gas, water, or electric service. Any actual meter reading for electric, gas, or
				water service which is changed by a utility before billing shall also be
				considered an estimated bill.
Extended Due Date
Regular monthly extension or change of a bill's due date by a
				utility.
Failure to Pay
Failure to pay includes payment by check, other negotiable
				instrument, or automatic draft that is dishonored by a bank for reasons other
				than bank error.
Individual with Disabilities
Any residential customer who is certified to the utility as
				having a severe physical or mental impairment which substantially limits his
				ability to pay for utility service. Certification shall be provided by a
				physician, licensed psychologist, the United States Veterans Administration,
				the Social Security Administration, the Arkansas Department of Human Services,
				the Arkansas State Hospital, or a licensed mental health center.
Insufficient Funds Check
Any negotiable instrument such as a check or automatic bank
				draft dishonored by a bank for reasons other than bank error.
Interest
Interest rate set annually by the Commission for customer
				deposits as required by Ark. Code Ann. '
				23-4-206(b).
Interruption of Service
Temporarily stopping service for maintenance, testing, repair,
				or safety.
Kind of Service
Either electric, natural gas, water, or sewer service.
Landlord
The owner, agent, manager, or lessor of premises who receives
				lease, rent, or other payments which include amounts for utility
				service.
Outage
An unplanned temporary loss of utility service caused by a
				malfunction of or damage to utility facilities.
Payment Agent
A business located in the community which acts as an agent for
				the utility by accepting utility payments from customers.
Payment Date
The date the utility or its authorized agent receives payment
				on an account.
Physician
Any person licensed to practice medicine by the Arkansas State
				Medical Board or a comparable licensing authority of another state.
Public Utility or Utility
A jurisdictional utility as defined by Ark. Code Ann. '
				23-1-101.
Rider
A tariff which includes an addition or amendment applicable to
				one or more rate schedules.
Rules or Commission Rules
These General Service Rules.
Serious Medical Condition
An illness or injury which results in a physician's
				determination that the loss of utility service would give rise to a substantial
				risk of death or gravely impair health. A serious medical condition shall exist
				in the case of elderly persons or infant children under the age of 12 months if
				a physician certifies that the loss of utility service will gravely impair
				health, regardless of the current existence of illness or injury.
Special Rules or Commission's Special Rules
Special Rules-Electric, Special Rules-Water, or Special
				Rules-Gas.
Suspension of Service
A temporary shut-off of service by a utility without a customer
				request -- not an outage or an interruption of service.
Tariff
A rate schedule, service regulation, or other document required
				to be filed as a tariff by the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure and
				approved by the Commission or by operation of law.
Utility Service
Service provided by a public utility and subject to regulation
				by the Commission.
SECTION 1.
APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE
Rule 1.01.
Applicability
These Rules shall apply to all whose activities bring them
				under the jurisdiction of the Commission except for telecommunications
				providers.
Rule 1.02.
Purpose and Scope
A.
			 These Rules set forth standards for service by each utility. These Rules are
			 intended to ensure adequate service, prevent discrimination and unfair
			 practices, and protect both the consumers and utilities from unreasonable
			 demands.
B. Any general utility
			 service regulation, policy, procedure, rule, or service application, except
			 those approved in special contracts by this Commission, that conflicts with
			 these Rules is void and unlawful, unless the utility files a formal application
			 for an exemption and the Commission approves it. These Rules are not intended
			 to, and do not, affect or replace any Commission-approved general service
			 regulation, policy, procedure, rule, or service application of any utility
			 which addresses items other than those covered in these Rules.
C. Unless the context otherwise requires,
			 wherever the masculine gender is used in these Rules, it shall include the
			 feminine gender.
D. Unless the
			 context otherwise requires, wherever the singular form of a word is used in
			 these Rules, it shall include the plural form, and wherever the plural form is
			 used, it shall include the singular.
Rule 1.03.
Exemption from
			 Rules
Amendments or exemptions to the Commission's Rules may be
				granted by the Commission in conformity with the Commission's Rules of Practice
				and Procedure, or as otherwise provided within these Rules.
Rule 1.04.
Duties Under the
			 Law
These Rules shall in no way relieve any person or entity of any
				duty under the laws of the State of Arkansas or the United States of
				America.
Rule 1.05.
Discrimination Prohibited
A utility shall not unlawfully discriminate against an
				applicant for service or an existing customer in the provision of utility
				service based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital
				status, or receipt of public assistance.
Rule 1.06.
Retaliation
			 Prohibited
A utility shall not retaliate against any applicant or customer
				for exercising a right or enforcing an obligation created by any Commission
				Rule or for acting within the law.
Rule
			 1.07.
Availability of Rules
A. Utilities
(1) To Employees
Utility employees who are responsible for the application and
				explanation of any of these Rules shall have ready access to those Rules which
				apply to their respective job responsibilities. Ready access to the Rules means
				that they are easily accessible to a utility employee in his work area at the
				utility's offices.
(2) To
			 Members of the Public
a. Notice to Public
Each utility business office shall post an 8 and ½ inch
				by 11 inch notice stating that these Rules are available for public use. The
				notice shall be in the following form and will be provided through the
				Commission's Consumer Services Office:
NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS
The Arkansas Public Service Commission governs many areas
				of customer service for this utility. The Commission's Rules contain important
				information about rights and responsibilities for applicants and customers.
				Copies of the Commission's Rules and Commission-approved company tariffs and
				service regulations are on display in this office and are available for public
				inspection. A copy of any pertinent part of these Rules, tariffs, or service
				regulations is available to applicants and customers upon
				request.
b.
			 Availability of Rules
These Rules and any approved additions, revisions, or
				exemptions to these Rules shall be on display in each utility business office
				and be available for inspection. Each utility shall provide a copy of any
				pertinent part of these Rules to an applicant or customer upon request.
B. Arkansas
			 Public Service Commission
These Rules shall be on display and available for inspection in
				the Office of the Secretary of the Commission. A copy of the Rules will be
				provided to any member of the public upon request.