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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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122:12 Office of Energy Efficiency |
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Chapter122:12-2. Low-Income Customer Assistance Programs |
122:12-2-04. General administration of the low-income customer assistance programs
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This version is in effect until 10/31/2010
(A) Eligibility. Eligibility criteria for participation in low-income customer assistance programs are: (1) participation in the Ohio energy credits program from July 1, 1999 through June 30, 2000, or (2) income equal to or less than one hundred fifty per cent of federal poverty guidelines, as determined by the director.
(B) Verification of income. Authorized providers which verify income for purposes of determining eligibility for the low-income customer assistance programs shall use those verification methods employed by the director for the home energy assistance program.
(C) Provision of services. To the extent feasible and consistent with the targeting responsibilities under Chapter 4928. of the Revised Code, assistance and services funded by the fund shall be provided among the certified territories of electric distribution utilities during their market development period, and participating electric cooperatives, and among the service areas of participating municipal electric utilities, in amounts proportionate to the remittances of each.
(D) Applications. Applications for participation in the low-income customer assistance programs are available on a year round basis, however, each of the various low-income customer assistance programs may have different deadlines. Applications shall be returned to the director by mail or completed in person with an authorized provider.
(E) Payment and crediting arrangements and responsibilities.
(1) Beginning September 1, 2000, payment arrangements and responsibilities for a percentage of income payment plan program customer shall follow the procedures set forth in paragraph (B) of rule 4901:1-18-04 of the Administrative Code, unless otherwise replaced by new rules adopted by the director under division (B)(3) of section 4928.53 of the Revised Code, after consultation with the public benefits advisory board and the commission.
(2) Crediting arrangements and responsibilities for the revenues received after September 1, 2000 as a result of payments from a percentage of income payment program customer for current residential competitive and noncompetitive retail electric services shall be consistent with the commission's electric service and safety standards for customer billing and payments in rule 4901:1-10-22 of the Administrative Code. Customer payments shall be credited to the percentage of income payment plan program customers' account by each electric distribution utility, participating municipal electric utility or electric cooperative upon receipt of the percentage of income payment plan program customers' payments, consistent with rules enacted by the commission.
(F) Monthly information to the director-universal service fund information.
The following information shall be sent to the director with the monthly remittance of applicable fund revenues as set forth in rule 122:12-2-03 of the Administrative Code by electric distribution utilities, participating municipal utilities or electric cooperatives:
(1) Total amount of monthly remittance;
(2) Total number of kilowatt hours billed and total amount of funds collected by virtue of the universal service rider during the reporting period;
(3) Total number of accounts by customer class;
(4) Applicable universal service rider;
(5) Total number of percentage of income payment plan program accounts maintained during the reporting period, to include a subset of the total number of percentage of income payment plan program accounts that indicates the number of percentage of income payment plan program customer accounts where electricity is used both as the primary and secondary source of heat and therefore the percentage of income payment plan program customer pays a per cent of his/her monthly income to the electric distribution utility, participating municipal utility or the electric cooperative for electric service in accordance with the percentage of income payment plan program.
(6) Total cost of kilowatt hours billed to and total amount of dollars collected from percentage of income payment plan program customers during the reporting period.
(G) Monthly information to the director-statement of percentage of income payment plan program customer services.
A statement of total amounts due to reimburse each competitive and noncompetitive supplier providing services to percentage of income payment plan program customers in each utility service territory for the previous month shall be submitted to the director with the monthly remittance of applicable fund revenues as set forth in rule 122:12-2-03 of the Administrative Code. The statements shall provide information in a standard format determined by the director, to include, but not be limited to the following:
(1) Previous balance;
(2) Itemized charges:
(a) By distribution service provider,
(b) By transmission service provider,
(c) By ancillary services provider(s),
(d) Applicable generation transition charge (electric distribution utility),
(e) Applicable regulatory transition charges (electric distribution utility),
(f) By generation service provider.
(3) Itemized applicable riders:
(a) Applicable transition rate credit program,
(b) Universal service rider,
(c) Temporary rider for energy efficiency revolving loan fund (beginning January 1, 2001),
(d) State and local tax rider,
(e) Applicable net energy metering.
(4) Payments/credits from director;
(5) New balance due to competitive or noncompetitive supplier;
(6) Percentage of income payment plan program customer payments; and
(7) Percentage of income payment plan program customer payments on percentage of income payment plan program arrearages.
(H) Reimbursement by the director.
Upon receipt of the monthly statement as required in rule 122:12-2-04(F) and (G) of the Administrative Code from each electric distribution utility, participating municipal utility, electric cooperative or other designated supplier, the director shall, within five business days of receipt, reimburse to the credit of the electric distribution utility, participating municipal utility, electric cooperative or other designated supplier in an account and in accordance with the terms of the agreement the amount owed to the electric distribution utility, participating municipal utility, electric cooperative or other designated supplier.
(I) Carrying charge.
In the event that the director does not reimburse the electric distribution utility, participating municipal utility, electric cooperative or other designated supplier within five business days of receipt of the remittance, a carrying charge shall be assessed to the reimbursement of the director in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
(J) Dispute resolution.
Should any electric distribution utility, competitive retail electric service provider, billing or metering agent be unable to agree with a decision made by the director with regard to a payment to the electric distribution utility, the electric distribution utility shall submit the information contained in paragraphs (F) and (G) of this rule to the commission. The director and the electric distribution utility shall present its calculations with regard to the amount to be transferred, and the commission shall make a determination of the appropriate amount. The decision of the commission shall be final.
(K) List of customers eligible for forgiveness.
Pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 4928.51 of the Revised Code, each electric distribution utility shall report to the director a list of its percentage of income payment plan program customers to be identified as eligible for the forgiveness of their unpaid percentage of income payment plan program obligation.
(L) Request for proposals.
All relevant state purchasing procedures shall be followed in preparing requests for proposals and in the selection of winning bids. The director reserves the right to reject any and all bids.
(M) Annual report.
Annually by July thirty-first, for the previous year ending June thirtieth, each electric distribution utility, participating municipal electric utilities and electric cooperatives shall supply the director with the following information, provided by county, zip code and by alphabetical name within zip code for each of its current percentage of income payment plan program customers, home energy assistance program customers, and Ohio energy credits program customers:
(1) A list of the names, addresses, utility account numbers, social security numbers, and if available, the telephone numbers, and
(2) The monthly and annual consumption data, read code and read date, active or inactive status, and the total percentage of income payment plan program arrearages of each of its percentage of income payment plan program customers over the previous twelve months.
Two copies of the information shall be provided, and one copy shall be in an electronic form.
(N) Notice to customers.
(1) To the extent practicable, the electric distribution utilities, participating municipal utilities or electric cooperatives shall annually notify customers that their name, address, telephone number, consumption data, and total amount of the arrearages will be forwarded to the director and/or authorized providers.
(2) This notification also shall indicate that the customer is required to apply for weatherization services if they are individually solicited by a provider affiliated with energy efficiency, weatherization and/or consumer education program sponsored by the director.
(3) The notification shall indicate that names of the customers will remain confidential for the purposes of the director's evaluation study.