HB 1225

Abstract

Electric utilities; notice before terminating service. Prohibits an electric utility from terminating the residential service of a customer for nonpayment for metered services when the electric utility believes that the customer is receiving or has received electric utility services for which the customer was not properly billed as the result of tampering with the electric utility's meter until the electric utility has (i) retrieved the meter from the customer's premises, which may be done without providing prior notice to the customer; (ii) immediately replaced it with a new meter; and (iii) determined whether the meter has been tampered with. The measure requires that if the electric utility determines that the meter has been tampered with and seeks payment for services not properly billed, the electric utility must provide the customer with an invoice with a reasonable and final estimate of the amount owed by the customer as a result of the meter's failure. The electric utility is required to provide the customer one full billing period to pay the amount billed in such invoice. The measure authorizes a customer to submit a complaint to the State Corporation Commission and to file a formal proceeding after the informal complaint process has been exhausted. The measure includes specific conditions for which these requirements do not apply, including when the condition of a customer's wiring, equipment, or appliances is either unsafe or unsuitable for receiving the utility service or when the customer's use of the utility service or equipment interferes with or may be detrimental to the utility's facilities or to the provision of utility service by the utility to any other customer.

Electric utilities; notice before terminating service. Prohibits an electric utility from terminating the residential service of a customer for nonpayment for metered services when the electric utility believes that the customer is receiving or has received electric utility services for which the customer was not properly billed as the result of tampering with the electric utility's meter until the electric utility has (i) retrieved the meter from the customer's premises, which may be done without providing prior notice to the customer; (ii) immediately replaced it with a new meter; and (iii) determined whether the meter has been tampered with. The measure requires that if the electric utility determines that the meter has been tampered with and seeks payment for services not properly billed, the electric utility must provide the customer with a detailed invoice billing the customer for the amount owed by the customer as a result of the meter's failure. The electric utility is required to provide the customer one full billing period to pay the amount billed in such invoice. The measure authorizes a customer to submit a complaint to the State Corporation Commission and to file a formal proceeding after the informal complaint process has been exhausted. The measure includes specific conditions for which these requirements do not apply, including the condition of a customer's wiring, equipment, or appliances is either unsafe or unsuitable for receiving the utility service or the customer's use of the utility service or equipment interferes with or may be detrimental to the utility's facilities or to the provision of utility service by the utility to any other customer.

Electric utilities; notice before terminating service.Prohibits an electric utility from terminating the residential service of acustomer for nonpayment for metered services when the electric utility believesthat the customer is receiving or has received electric utility services forwhich the customer was not properly billed as the result of tampering with theelectric utility's meter until the electric utility has (i) retrieved the meterfrom the customer's premises, which may be done without providing prior noticeto the customer; (ii) immediately replaced it with a new meter; and (iii)tested the suspected meter to determine whether the meter has been tamperedwith. The measure requires the electric utility to provide the customer with adetailed invoice billing the customer for the amount owed by the customer as aresult of the meter's failure. The electric utility is required to provide thecustomer one full billing period to pay the amount billed in such invoice. Themeasure authorizes a customer to petition the State Corporation Commission fora review of an electric utility's finding, the results of a test, or theutility's calculation of the amount owed. These requirements do not apply if(a) the condition of a customer's wiring, equipment, or appliances is eitherunsafe or unsuitable for receiving the utility service; (b) the customer's useof the utility service or equipment interferes with or may be detrimental tothe utility's facilities or to the provision of utility service by the utilityto any other customer; or (c) electric service is furnished over a line that isnot owned or leased by the utility and the line is either not in a safe andsuitable condition or is inadequate to receive electric utility service.