North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 04 - COMMERCE › Chapter 11 - UTILITIES COMMISSION › Chapter 12 › Section 11 R12-10 - DISCONNECTION OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER'S NATURAL GAS SERVICE

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
(a) The date after which the bill is due, or
				the past due after date, shall be disclosed in the bill and shall not be less
				than twenty-five (25) days after the billing date. Payment within this
				twenty-five day period will either maintain or count toward establishment of
				the customer's credit with the utility.
(b) For purposes of this rule, payment shall
				be defined as delivery of the amount due to a company business office or
				designated payment agency during regular business hours by 5:00 p.m. on the
				twenty-fifth (25th) day, unless such day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal
				holiday in which event the last day for payment runs until the end of the next
				day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.
(c) Those natural gas customers from whom
				deposits are required under the provisions of Commission Rules R12-2 or R12-3
				and who receive their largest bills seasonally (such as customers who use
				natural gas for heating) may be considered seasonal customers in determining
				the amount of deposit under Rule R12-4. The deposits collectible from such
				customers shall not exceed one-third of the estimated charge for service for
				the season involved. For purposes of this provision the heating season shall be
				the calendar months October through March.
(d) Each gas utility shall file tariffs with
				the Commission to impose charges, not to exceed the charges allowed by
				G.S.
				25-3-506, for checks tendered on a customer's
				account and returned for insufficient funds. This charge shall apply regardless
				of when the check is tendered.
(e)
				Each gas utility, through its meter reader, office, or designated payment
				agency is authorized to collect payment by cash or check for bills past due and
				in arrears, and for current bills once the meter reader has left the office
				with a list of customers whose service is to be disconnected, unless the day on
				which the meter reader has left the office with such list is prior to the third
				day preceding the past due date of the current bill of any customer whose
				service is to be disconnected, in which case the utility is authorized only to
				collect payment for bills past due and in arrears.
"Current bill" is defined as a bill rendered but not past
				  due. "Bill in arrears" is defined as a bill rendered and past due.
(f) Each gas utility operating
				under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Utilities Commission shall revise
				its billing procedures to conform to the following approximate schedule with
				respect to all customers:
Approximate Billing Cycle Day
Standard Procedure
1
Service begins.
30
Meter read.
35
Bill mailed.
60
Meter read for second month's service.
65
Bill marked showing charge for second month's service
							 and arrears separately; if arrears is shown on bill, notice enclosed in
							 conformity with subsection (h) of this rule also stating: "Arrears must be paid
							 within 10 days after billing date to avoid disconnection of service. CONTACT
							 THE UTILITY IMMEDIATELY TO DISCUSS CREDIT ARRANGEMENTS IF FULL PAYMENT IS NOT
							 POSSIBLE. NO OTHER NOTICE WILL BE MAILED."
75
Review of accounts to determine whether customer has
							 taken necessary action to avoid disconnection. Supervisory approval given to
							 final disconnect orders.
76
Field representative visits home to notify customer,
							 receive payment or defer disconnection in accordance with Rule R12-10(i)(2),
							 make satisfactory credit arrangements, agree to defer action because of death
							 or illness, or disconnect service. Customer has immediate recourse to the
							 utility for reconnection action.
(g)
				No disconnects will be made prior to their being personally reviewed and
				ordered by a supervisor.
(h) Gas
				service to a residential customer shall not be terminated for nonpayment of a
				delinquent account until the utility has given such customer at least 10 days'
				written notice that his service is subject to termination. This notice of
				proposed termination shall, at a minimum, contain the following information:
(1) A clear explanation of the reasons which
				underlie the proposed termination.
(2) The date of the proposed termination,
				which shall not be less than 10 days from the date of issuance of such
				notice.
(3) A statement advising
				the customer that gas service will not be terminated if, prior to the proposed
				termination date, the customer is able to establish that he is unable to pay
				his account in full and he agrees to enter into a reasonable installment
				agreement with the utility designed to bring the account into balance not later
				than six months from the date of such agreement. Approved finance charges will
				apply to the balance in arrears. This installment agreement shall encompass
				both the sum of the outstanding balance and also the estimated charges for gas
				usage which is reasonably projected to occur during the period of the
				agreement. Estimated charges shall be based upon an analysis of the customer's
				past usage.
(4) Statements advising
				the customer that he should first contact the utility with any questions he may
				have regarding his bill and that in cases of dispute, a proposed termination
				action may thereafter be appealed informally to the Commission either by
				calling the Public Staff-North Carolina Utilities Commission, Consumer Services
				Division at (919) 733-9277 or by appearing in person or by writing the Public
				Staff-North Carolina Utilities Commission, Consumer Services Division, 4326
				Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4326.
(5) A statement advising the customer that he
				may desire to call his local social service agency to determine what federal,
				state, or private assistance may be available.
(6) With respect to bills rendered between
				November 1 and March 31 of every year and in conformity with the policy
				considerations expressed by Congress in the Public Utility Regulatory Policies
				Act (PURPA) of 1978, the notice of proposed termination shall also contain a
				statement that no termination shall take place without the express approval of
				the Commission if the customer can establish all of the following:
(a) That a member of the customer's household
				is either certifiably handicapped or elderly (65 years of age or older), or
				both.
(b) That the customer is
				unable to pay for such service in full or
in accordance with subsection (h)(3) of this rule.
(c) That the household is
				certified by the local social service office which administers the Energy
				Crisis Assistance Program or other similar programs as being eligible (whether
				funds are then available or not) to receive assistance under such
				pro-grams.