Code of Maine Rules › 65 - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION › 407 - PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION › Chapter 317 - STATEWIDE ARREARAGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM › Section 407-317-1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A. Scope of
				Rule
This Chapter applies to all electric transmission and
				  distribution utilities in the State.
B.
Purpose of Rule
The purpose of this rule is to implement the provisions of
				  P.L. 2013, ch. 556, "An Act To Assist Electric Utility Ratepayers" by requiring
				  each electric transmission and distribution utility to create and administer an
				  AMP. The purpose of the AMP is to assist eligible low income customers who are
				  in arrears on their electricity bills by requiring transmission and
				  distribution utilities to work with eligible low-income residential customers
				  to establish an affordable payment plan and provide credit towards a customer's
				  accumulated arrears as long as that customer remains in compliance with the
				  terms of the program.
C.
Definitions
1.
Applicant
"Applicant" means any person or business that applies for
				  utility service and who has not been a customer of the utility within the past
				  30 calendar days.
2.
Arrearage Management Program
An "Arrearage Management Program" or "AMP" or "Program"
				  provides financial assistance and on-time bill payment incentives to eligible
				  residential electricity consumers by establishing an affordable payment plan
				  and providing a credit each month towards that customer's accumulated arrears
				  as long as that customer remains in compliance with the terms of the AMP. The
				  term AMP refers to both the AMP of a particular T&D Utility and the overall
				  Arrearage Management Program created by this Chapter.
3.
AMP Year
"AMP year" is the period between October 1 and the following
				  September 30.
4.
Arrearage Amount
"Arrearage Amount" is an amount of a transmission and
				  distribution customer's bill that is past due at the time of an eligible
				  customer's enrollment in an AMP. This amount is limited to charges associated
				  with transmission and distribution service and standard offer service and does
				  not include CEP charges.
5.
Commission
"Commission" is the Maine Public Utilities
				  Commission.
6.
Competitive Electricity Provider
"Competitive Electricity Provider (CEP)" is a marketer,
				  broker, aggregator, or any entity selling electricity to the public at
				  retail.
7.
Community
				Action Agency
"Community Action Agency" or "CAP" is a private nonprofit
				  agency that is designated by and authorized to accept funds from the Federal
				  Community Services Administration under the Federal Economic Opportunity Act of
				  1964.
8.
Default
"Default" is an event where a Program Participant has missed
				  a payment required as a condition of participation in an AM P. A Default may be
				  cured as provided for in section
				  4(I) of this Rule. An
				  Eligible Customer who is in Default may not continue to participate in an AMP
				  until such Default has been cured. In the event a Program Participant misses
				  consecutive monthly payments, each monthly payment missed represents a separate
				  and discreet "Default."
9.
Efficiency Maine Trust
"Efficiency Maine Trust" or "EMT" is the independent
				  administrator for energy efficiency programs in Maine.
10.
Electricity Usage
				Assessment
"Electricity Usage Assessment" or "Usage Assessment" is an
				  analysis of a Program Participant's electricity usage completed by the
				  EMT.
11.
Eligible
				Customer
An "Eligible Customer" is a residential transmission and
				  distribution utility customer or applicant who is taking or has applied to take
				  residential electric service on a continuing year-round basis, is eligible for
				  LIHEAP in the State of Maine, and has carried an Arrearage Amount of $500 or
				  more for at least 90 days.
12.
Forgiveness
"Forgiveness" is a designated Arrearage Amount for which a
				  customer is no longer responsible for paying and which is permanently removed
				  from the customer's account. Once an amount is forgiven, it cannot be
				  reinstated to customer's account.
13.
LIAP
"LIAP" is the "Low-Income Assistance Program," which is a
				  program established pursuant to Chapter 314 of the Commission's rules to assist
				  qualified low-income customers pay their electric bills.
14.
LIHEAP
"LIHEAP" is the "Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program,"
				  which is a federally funded program that provides financial assistance grants
				  to needy households for home energy bills and is implemented by the Maine State
				  Housing Authority.
15.
Program Participant
A "Program Participant" or "Participant" is an Eligible
				  Customer who is enrolled in an AMP.
16.
Residential Customer
"Residential Customer" is any person who has applied for,
				  been accepted for, and is receiving residential service from a transmission and
				  distribution utility or has agreed to be billed for residential service from a
				  transmission and distribution utility.
17.
Standard Intake Form
The Standard Intake Form is attached as Appendix A to this
				  rule. The Standard Intake Form is the default intake format for enrolling
				  Eligible Customers in an Arrearage Management Program. T&D Utilities
				  wishing to use an alternative form need to submit that form with their AMP for
				  Commission approval.
The Standard Intake Form shall be designed to gather
				  information on the applicant's existing usage pattern to allow the EMT and the
				  CAPs to identify opportunities for energy usage reduction and conservation.
18.
Special Payment
				Arrangement
"Special Payment Arrangement" or "SPA" means a payment
				  arrangement in which the customer may pay less than the full amount of bills as
				  they become due. Special Payment Arrangements shall require that the customer
				  make regular monthly payments established according to the guidelines set forth
				  in Section 9 of Chapter 815 of the Commission's rules.
19. Transmission and Distribution Utility
"Transmission and distribution utility" or "T&D Utility"
				  means a person, its lessees, trustees, receivers or trustees appointed by a
				  court, owning, controlling, operating or managing an electric transmission and
				  distribution plant for compensation within the State, except where the
				  electricity is distributed by the entity that generates the electricity through
				  private property alone solely for that entity's own use or the use of the
				  entity's tenants and not for sale to others.