4901:1-18-12. Percentage of income payment plan program eligibility for gas utility service

(A) Rules 4901:1-18-12 to 4901:1-18-17 of the Administrative Code, apply to PIPP plus for residential service from a gas or natural gas utility company. PIPP plus rules and requirements for residential electric utility service are located in Chapter 122:5-3 of the Administrative Code.

(B) A customer is eligible for PIPP plus if the customer meets one of the following criteria:

(1) The household income for the past three months, if annualized, would be less than or equal to one hundred fifty per cent of the federal poverty guidelines.

(2) The annualized household income for the past three months is more than one hundred fifty per cent of the federal poverty guidelines, but the customer has a household income for the past twelve months which is less than or equal to one hundred fifty per cent of the federal poverty guidelines.

(C) If the customer meets the income eligibility requirements, as set forth in paragraph (B) of this rule, to participate in PIPP plus, the customer must also:

(1) Apply for all public energy assistance for which the customer is eligible.

(2) Apply for and accept all weatherization programs for which the customer is eligible.

(3) Sign and submit a release to the Ohio development service agency and the affected jurisdictional gas or natural gas utility company giving permission for that entity to receive information from any public or private agency that provides income or energy assistance to the customer, or from any member of the customer's household, and/or from any public or private employer of the customer or member of the customer's household as it relates to PIPP plus eligibility.

(4) Notify the local agency designated by the Ohio development service agency, within thirty days, of any change in income or household size.

(D) In addition to the requirements set forth in paragraphs (B) and (C) of this rule, a PIPP plus customer must also periodically reverify his/her eligibility.

(1) All PIPP plus customers must provide proof of eligibility to the Ohio development service agency of the household income at least once every twelve months at or about the customer's PIPP plus reverification date. The customer shall be accorded a grace period of sixty days after the customer's PIPP plus reverification date to reverify eligibility.

(2) Except as provided in this paragraph, the PIPP plus customer must be current on his/her income-based PIPP plus payments at the customer's PIPP plus anniversary date to be eligible to remain on PIPP plus for the subsequent twelve months. The customer will have one billing cycle after the PIPP plus anniversary date to pay any missed PIPP plus payments before being removed from the program. Missed PIPP plus payments include:

(a) Any delayed payments as a result of the customer's prior use of a medical certificate in accordance with paragraph (C) of rule 4901:1-18-06 of the Administrative Code.

(b) Any missed payments, including PIPP plus payments which would have been due for the months the customer is disconnected from gas utility service. The amount due shall not exceed the amount of the customer's arrearage and shall be paid prior to the restoration of utility service.

(3) PIPP plus customers who have been dropped from the PIPP plus program due to nonpayment or not meeting the terms of the program (e.g. failure to reverify or to bring account current at the anniversary date) and who were otherwise eligible for PIPP plus, may re-enroll in the program after all missed PIPP plus payments, and monthly charges for any months the customer was not enrolled in the program but maintained service (less any payments made by the customer)have been cured. This includes PIPP plus payments for any months in which the customer was disconnected. The amount due shall not exceed the amount of the customer's arrearage.

(4) All PIPP plus customers must also provide proof of eligibility to the gas or natural gas utility company upon request. No gas or natural gas utility company shall request such proof without justification.

(E) Upon the customer's enrollment in PIPP plus and at reverification, the gas or natural gas utility company shall provide the customer with a copy of PIPP plus literature including, at a minimum, the customer's monthly payment, service address, current arrearages, nonrecurring fees, timely payment incentives, reverification requirements including the customer's anniversary date, and customer responsibilities when the customer is no longer eligible for the program.

Replaces: part of 4901:1-18-17

Effective: 4/15/2015
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 11/24/2014 and 11/24/2019
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 4905.04, 4905.06
Rule Amplifies: 4905.06 , 4905.22, 4933.12, 4933.122
Prior Effective Dates: 3/22/80, 10/6/82, 12/1/83, 1/19/84, 10/10/84, 1/8/85, 12/7/91, 9/1/04, 11/1/10, 2/3/11