Washington Administrative Code › Title 480 - Utilities and Transportation Commission › Chapter 480-90 - Gas companies-Operations › Part II - CONSUMER RULES › Section 480-90-143 - Winter low-income payment program

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) During the winter months, between
				November 15th and March 15th, a gas utility may not discontinue residential
				space heating service if the customer does all of the following:
(a) Notifies the utility of the inability to
				pay the bill and any required deposit. This notice should be provided within
				five business days of receiving a delinquency notice unless there are
				extenuating circumstances. If the customer does not notify the utility within
				five business days and service is disconnected, the customer can receive the
				protections of this chapter by paying reconnection charges, if any, and by
				otherwise fulfilling the requirements of this section;
(b) Provides self-certification of household
				income for the prior twelve months to a grantee of the department of community,
				trade, and economic development, or its successor. For the purposes of this
				section, the grantee is a contractor operating low-income energy assistance
				programs for the department of community, trade, and economic development. The
				grantee will determine that the household income is not higher than the maximum
				allowed for eligibility under the state's plan for low-income energy
				assistance. The grantee will, within thirty days, provide a dollar figure to
				the utility that is seven percent of the household income. For the purposes of
				this section, household income is defined as the total income of all household
				members as determined by the grantee. The grantee may verify information
				provided in the self-certification;
(c) Applies for home energy assistance from
				appropriate government and/or private sector organizations and certifies that
				any assistance received will be applied to the customer's current and future
				utility bills;
(d) Applies to the
				utility or other appropriate agencies for low-income weatherization assistance
				if such assistance is available for the dwelling;
(e) Agrees and abides by that agreement to:
(i) Pay by the following October 15th all
				amounts owed to the utility and pay for continued service; and
(ii) Pay a monthly payment during the winter
				period. The utility may not require payment of more than seven percent of the
				customer's monthly income. In addition, the customer must pay one-twelfth of
				any billings from the date application is made through March 15th. A customer
				may agree to pay a higher percentage of income during this period, but the
				customer's account will not be considered past-due unless payment during this
				period is less than seven percent of the monthly income plus one-twelfth of any
				past-due amounts accrued from the date application is made and thereafter. If
				the customer does not pay the past-due bill by the following October 15th, the
				customer will not be eligible for protections under this section until the
				past-due bill is paid;
(f) Notifies and provides documentation to
				the utility, if requested, that the customer has received any home heating
				assistance payment from government and/or private sector organizations after
				being approved for the plan. When the utility receives this information it must
				recalculate the payments for the customer; and
(g) Pay all amounts owed even if the customer
				moves.