Pennsylvania Code › Title 52 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Part I - Public Utility Commission › Subpart C - Fixed Service Utilities › Chapter 62 - NATURAL GAS SUPPLY CUSTOMER CHOICE › Subchapter A - UNIVERSAL SERVICE AND ENERGY CONSERVATION REPORTING REQUIREMENTS › Section 62.2 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter,
						have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
						otherwise:
CAP benefits
-The average CAP bill,
						average CAP credits and average arrearage forgiveness, as applicable.
CAP credits
-The difference between the
						amount billed at the standard residential rate and the amount billed at the CAP
						rate.
CAP-Customer Assistance Program
-An
						alternative collection method that provides payment assistance to low-income,
						payment troubled utility customers. CAP participants agree to make regular
						monthly payments that may be for an amount that is less than the current bill
						in exchange for continued provision of natural gas utility services.
CARES benefits
-The number of referrals
						and number of customers accepted into CARES.
CARES-Customer Assistance and Referral Evaluation
						Services
-A program that provides a cost-effective service that helps
						selected, payment-troubled customers maximize their ability to pay utility
						bills. A CARES program provides a casework approach to help customers secure
						energy assistance funds and other needed services.
Classification of accounts
-Accounts are
						classified by the following categories: all residential accounts and confirmed
						low-income residential accounts.
Collection operating expenses
-Expenses
						directly associated with collection of payments due for residential
						accounts.
Confirmed low-income residential
						account
-Accounts where the NGDC has obtained information that would
						reasonably place the customer in a low-income designation. This information may
						include receipt of LIHEAP funds (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program),
						self-certification by the customer, income source or information obtained in
						§
											56.97(b)
						(relating to procedures upon rate-payer or occupant contact prior to
						termination).
Direct dollars
-Dollars which are applied
						to a CARES customer's natural gas utility account, including all sources of
						energy assistance applied to utility bills such as LIHEAP, hardship fund
						grants, and local agencies' grants.
Energy assistance benefits
-The total
						number and dollar amount of LIHEAP grants.
Hardship fund
-A fund that provides cash
						assistance to utility customers to help them pay their utility bills.
Hardship fund benefits
-The total number
						and dollar amount of cash benefits or bill credits.
Impact evaluation
-An evaluation that
						focuses on the degree to which a program achieves the continuation of utility
						service to program participants at a reasonable cost level and otherwise meets
						program goals.
LIURP-Low-income Usage Reduction
						Program
-An energy usage reduction program that helps low-income
						customers to conserve energy and reduce residential energy bills.
Low-income customer
-A residential
						utility customer whose gross household income is at or below 150% of the
						Federal poverty guidelines. Gross household income does not include the value
						of food stamps or other noncash income.
NGDC-Natural gas distribution company
-A
						natural gas distribution company as defined in
						66 Pa.C.S. §
												2202
						(relating to definitions).
Outreach referral contacts
-An address
						and telephone number that a customer would call or write to apply for the
						hardship fund. Contact information should be specific to each county in the
						NGDC's service territory, if applicable.
Payment rate
-The total number of full
						monthly payments received from CAP participants in a given period divided by
						the total number of monthly bills issued to CAP participants.
Payment troubled
-A household that has
						failed to maintain one or more payment arrangements in a 1-year period.
Residential account in arrears
-A
						residential account that is at least 30 days overdue. This classification
						includes all customer accounts that have payment arrangements.
Successful payment arrangements
-A
						payment arrangement in which the agreed upon number of payments have been made
						in full in the preceding 12 months.
Universal service and energy
						conservation
-The term as defined in
						66 Pa.C.S. §
												2202.
This section cited in 52 Pa. Code Chapter 56 Appendix C
						  (relating to definitions ( §
						  56.231)).