Pennsylvania Code › Title 52 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Part I - Public Utility Commission › Subpart C - Fixed Service Utilities › Chapter 56 - STANDARDS AND BILLING PRACTICES FOR RESIDENTIAL PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE › Subchapter P - TERMINATION OF SERVICE › NOTICE PROCEDURES PRIOR TO TERMINATION › Section 56.331 - General notice provisions and contents of termination notice

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) Prior to a termination of service, the
						public utility shall mail or deliver written notice to the customer at least 10
						days prior to the date of the proposed termination. In the event of a user
						without contract as defined in §
												56.252 (relating to definitions),
						the public utility shall comply with §
												§
												56.333-56.337, but does not need to
						provide notice 10 days prior to termination.
(b) A notice of termination must include, in
						conspicuous print, clearly and fully the following information when applicable:
(1) The reason for the proposed
						termination.
(2) An itemized
						statement of amounts currently due, including any required deposit.
(3) A statement that a reconnection fee will
						be required to have service restored after it has been terminated if a
						reconnection fee is a part of the tariff of the public utility on file with the
						Commission. The statement must include the maximum possible dollar amount of
						the reconnection fee that may apply.
(4) The date on or after which service will
						be terminated unless one of the following occurs:
(i) Payment in full is received.
(ii) The grounds for termination are
						otherwise eliminated.
(iii) A
						payment agreement is established.
(iv) Enrollment is made in a customer
						assistance program or its equivalent, if the customer is eligible for the
						program.
(v) A dispute is filed
						with the public utility or the Commission.
(vi) Payment in full of amounts past due on
						the most recent payment agreement is received.
(5) A statement that the customer should
						immediately contact the public utility to attempt to resolve the matter. The
						statement must include the address and telephone number where questions may be
						asked, how payment agreements may be negotiated and entered into with the
						public utility, and where applications can be found and submitted for
						enrollment into the public utility's universal service programs, if these
						programs are offered by the public utility.
(6) The following statement: "If you have
						questions or need more information, contact us as soon as possible at (public
						utility phone number). After you talk to us, if you are not satisfied, you may
						file a complaint with the Public Utility Commission. The Public Utility
						Commission may delay the shut off if you file the complaint before the shut off
						date. To contact them, call (800) 692-7380 or write to the Pennsylvania Public
						Utility Commission, P.O. Box 3265, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
						17105-3265."
(7) A medical
						certificate notice in compliance with the form in Appendix A (relating to
						medical emergency notice) except that, for the purpose of §
													56.336 (relating to
						post-termination notice), the notice must comply with the form in Appendix B
						(relating to medical emergency notice).
(8) If the public utility has universal
						service programs, information indicating that special assistance programs may
						be available and how to contact the public utility for information and
						enrollment, and that enrollment in the program may be a method of avoiding the
						termination of service.
(9)
						Information indicating that special protections are available for victims under
						a protection from abuse order or who have a court order issued by a court of
						competent jurisdiction in this Commonwealth which provides clear evidence of
						domestic violence and how to contact the public utility to obtain more
						information on these protections.
(10) Information indicating that special
						protections are available for tenants if the landlord is responsible for paying
						the public utility bill and how to contact the public utility to obtain more
						information on these protections.
(11) Information indicating that if service
						is shut off, the customer may be required to pay more than the amount listed on
						the notice to have service turned back on.
(12) Information indicating that if service
						is shut off, the customer shall contact the public utility after payment has
						been made to arrange reconnection of the service.
(13) Information in Spanish directing
						Spanish-speaking customers to the numbers to call for information and
						translation assistance. Similar information shall be included in other
						languages when census data indicates that 5% or more of the residents of the
						public utility's service territory are using that language.
(14) Contact information for customers with
						disabilities that need assistance.