HB 5756

Abstract

Amends the Service Obligations and Conditions Article of the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a utility shall reconnect or restore a residential customer's service no later than 48 hours after the resolution of the reason for the disconnection or termination, including entering into a repayment agreement with the utility, if the customer's gas or electric service is used to provide or control the primary source of space heating in the dwelling. Requires a utility to issue a credit to the residential customer's account if the disconnection is made in error or the utility fails to reconnect service for 2 or more days beyond the authorized 48 hours. Prohibits a utility from billing reconnection charges to the residential customer if that customer's service is not reconnected within 48 hours or if service was disconnected in error. Provides that the credits issued to a residential customer's account shall not be a recoverable expense and that the revenue reduction caused by the credits shall not be recoverable in the utility's rates. Defines "monthly customer charge". Provides that electric and gas utilities shall record the time between the resolution of the reason for disconnection and the reconnection of service and include that information in a report filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission providing statistical data concerning numbers of disconnections and reconnections involving utility service and deposits and data concerning the dollar amounts involved in these transactions. Effective immediately.