Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 220 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES › Title 220 CMR 25.00 - Billing And Termination Procedures Of The Department Of Public Utilities › Section 25.01 - Applicability and Definitions

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
Application
.
		220 CMR 25.00 shall apply to
		all gas, electric and water utility companies subject to the jurisdiction of
		the Department of Public Utilities and all municipal gas and electric
		departments, corporations and plants. Excluded from the application of
		220 CMR 25.00 are the
		following: industrial accounts, commercial accounts not affecting tenants, and
		accounts affecting nursing homes, hotels, and motels.
220 CMR 25.00 supersedes all
		  prior regulations of the Department of Public Utilities governing billing and
		  termination procedures for gas, electric and water utilities.
If any part of the terms and conditions of any company are in
		  conflict with
		  220 CMR 25.00,
		  220 CMR 25.00 shall be
		  controlling.
(2)
Definitions.
The following terms, as used in
		220 CMR 25.00 shall have the
		following meanings:
Bill.
A written statement from a
		  company to a customer setting forth the amount of gas, electricity or water
		  consumed or estimated to have been consumed for the billing period set forth in
		  the company's tariff and the charges therefor.
Budget Plan.
An equalized payment
		  arrangement whereby the customer's gas or electric usage is projected for a
		  period, equal monthly charges are calculated and billed for said period, and
		  said charges are reconciled with actual usage in the final billing for said
		  period.
Company.
A gas or electric company as
		  defined in M.G.L. c. 164, a water company as defined in M.G.L. c. 165, or a
		  municipal gas or electric department, corporation or plant established pursuant
		  to any general or special law.
Customer.
Any user of gas, electricity
		  or water billed on a residential rate as filed with the Department.
Department.
The Department of Public
		  Utilities, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Financial Hardship.
Shall exist when a
		  customer is unable to pay an overdue bill and such customer meets income
		  eligibility requirements for the Low-income Home Energy Assistance program
		  administered by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community
		  Development, or its successor, or when the Director of the Department's
		  Consumer Division, or his designee, determines that such a finding is
		  warranted.
Heat Related Account.
An account for
		  gas or electric service which service supplies fuel or energy, as the case may
		  be, to a space heating system or is used to activate the space heating system,
		  of a customer or landlord customer.
Landlord Customer
. One or more
		  individuals or an organization listed on a gas, electric or water company's
		  records as the party responsible for payment of the gas, electric or water
		  service provided to one or more residential units of a building, of which
		  building such party is not the sole occupant.
Payment Plan
. A deferred payment
		  arrangement applied to an amount of past due charges. Said arrangement shall
		  extend over a minimum of four months, or such other period approved by the
		  Department's Consumer Division, whereby equal payments of said past due charges
		  in addition to currently due charges are billed to the customer.
Projected Bill.
A written statement of
		  the amount which would be owed if the same quantity of gas, electricity or
		  water were supplied at current rates as was supplied for the same billing
		  period during the previous year; but, if no service was rendered to the account
		  during the same billing period for the previous year or if the demand for such
		  service is significantly different from that of the previous year, such written
		  statement shall be based upon a reasonable method of estimating charges for
		  usage approved by the Department.
Receipt.
In the case of a bill or
		  notice required by
		  220 CMR 25.00, shall be
		  presumed to be three days after the date of mailing, or if a bill or notice is
		  delivered rather than mailed, on the date of delivery.
Residential Building.
A building
		  containing one or more dwelling units occupied by one or more tenants, but
		  excluding nursing homes, hotels and motels.
Service.
Gas, electric or water
		  service.
Tenant
. Any person or group of persons
		  whose dwelling unit in a residential building is provided gas, electricity, or
		  water, pursuant to a rental arrangement, but who is not the customer of the
		  company which supplies such gas, electricity or water.