Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 126 - PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION › Division 03 - Utilities Section › Rule 126.03.05-001 - Rule 6.15 - Cold Weather Rule of the General Service Rules

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
Rule 6.15. Cold Weather Rule
A. Electric and gas utilities may not suspend
			 residential service on a day when the National Weather Service forecasts that a
			 temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower will occur at any time during the
			 following 24 hour period. The utility must obtain the most recent forecast for
			 the customer's weather zone from the National Weather Service reports on the
			 morning of the day that the customer's shut-off is scheduled.
B. Gas utilities may not suspend residential
			 gas service during the suspension moratorium period of November 1 to March 31
			 for low income customers subject to the following terms and conditions:
1. The term "low income customers" is defined
			 to include any individual gas utility customer of record who is approved to
			 receive either Food Stamps, WIC, TEA, Medicaid, or LIHEAP assistance.
2. To avoid a suspension of gas service, such
			 customer must directly notify the gas utility before the suspension date
			 indicated on a received shut-off notice or before the receipt of a shut-off
			 notice that they are approved to receive either Food Stamps, WIC, TEA, Medicaid
			 or LIHEAP assistance. Official written proof of such approval must be provided
			 by such customer directly to the gas utility within fourteen (14) days of the
			 date of the initial notice to the gas utility.
3. Such customer must execute a written
			 Suspension Moratorium Agreement ("SMA") with the gas utility obligating the
			 customer to make a minimum monthly payment for gas service during the
			 suspension moratorium period. Said minimum monthly payment shall be equal to
			 the minimum monthly payment which otherwise would be required under the gas
			 utility's approved voluntary "average monthly billing plan" or "levelized
			 payment plan", and shall be payable on the customers normal monthly payment due
			 date.
4. Such customer also must
			 agree to and execute a Delayed Payment Agreement ("DPA") covering (a) the
			 cumulative deferred monthly bill amounts for the period November 1 to March 31;
			 as well as (b) any past due amounts owing at the time of execution of the SMA.
			 Such customer must timely pay the total deferred billing amounts in seven (7)
			 equal monthly installment payments to be made April through October. Interest
			 shall not begin to accrue on any deferred amount until repayment of the
			 deferred amount begins. Payments under the DPA shall be in addition to the
			 normal monthly billed amounts during the seven (7) month DPA term.
5. In the went of misuse, fraud, or failure
			 to make required monthly payments under the provisions of Rule
			 6.15.B by such customer, the gas
			 utility may initiate Commission approved service suspension procedures
			 notwithstanding the provisions of Rule
			 6.15.B. 6. In
			 the event of a service suspension pursuant to the provisions of Rule
			 6.15.B.5 such
			 customer will not be allowed to again claim the service suspension moratorium
			 protection of Rule
			 6.15.B. until
			 all past due amounts owed to the gas utility have been paid in full.
6. In the event of a service suspension
			 pursuant to the provisions of Rule
			 6.15.B.5 such
			 customer will not be allowed to again claim the service suspension moratorium
			 protection of Rule
			 6.15.B. until
			 all past due amounts owed to the gas utility have been paid in full.
7. If necessary to preserve and protect the
			 public safety, the gas utility may initiate emergency suspension procedures
			 notwithstanding the provisions of Rule
			 6.15.B until such time as the
			 specific public safety issue has been satisfactorily
			 resolved.