Section 170 IAC 4-1-13 - BillsAuthority: IC 8-1-1-3; IC 8-1-2-4
Affected: IC 8-1-2; IC 8-1-13
Sec. 13.
(a) A bill rendered periodically to a customer for electric service must show at least the following information:(1) The dates and meter readings of the meter at the beginning and end of the period for which the bill is rendered and the billing date.(2) The number and kind of units of service supplied.(3) The billing rate code.(4) The service or minimum charge, if applicable.(5) The previous balance, if any.(6) The amount of the bill.(7) The sum of the amount of the bill and the late payment charge.(8) The date when the bill becomes delinquent and the date the late payment charge will be added to the bill.(9) If an estimated bill, clear and conspicuous coding or other indication identifying the bill as an estimated bill.(10) Printed statements or actual figures, or both, on either side of the bill must inform the customer of the seventeen (17) day nonpenalty period.(11) An easily understood explanation of all codes or symbols, or both, used.(b) A utility shall not transfer a bill for nonresidential service to a bill for residential service, nor shall a utility transfer a bill for residential service to a bill for nonresidential service. An unpaid bill for merchandise or nonutility service shall not be transferred to a utility bill.(c) A utility service bill shall be issued as a net bill. A bill is considered delinquent unless payment is received within seventeen (17) days after the initial bill is postmarked. A delinquent bill may be assessed a late payment charge. The late payment charge shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the first three dollars ($3) and three percent (3%) of the excess of three dollars ($3). In order for a utility to assess a late payment charge, the charge must be included in the utility's schedule of rates, tolls, or charges on file and approved by the commission.(d) A utility may estimate a customer bill only for good cause. As used in this subsection, "good cause" includes, but is not limited to, the following: (1) A customer request to estimate a bill.(3) Labor or union disputes.(4) Inaccessibility of a customer's meter, if the utility has made a reasonable attempt to read it.(5) Other circumstances beyond the control of the utility, its agents, and employees.(e) A cooperatively owned utility shall, upon a customer's request, and not less than once in a twelve (12) month period, compute and render a bill pursuant to an actual meter reading taken by the utility.(f) A utility shall develop an alternative billing method. This method must allow an applicant or customer to contract for billing where the utility averages the estimated bill over an extended period and balances the account at the end of that period. (1) An alternative billing method must be included in a utility's schedule of rates, tolls, or charges on file and approved by the commission.(2) Notice of the availability of this billing method must be placed in the customer pamphlet required under section 18 of this rule.(g) A Rural Electric Membership Corporation (REMC) formed under IC 8-1-13 may develop a round-up charitable billing plan. This plan allows a REMC, with a customer's consent, to round-up to the next even dollar amount the customer's bill for a billing period. The difference between the customer's estimated or actual bill for electric service and the rounded up bill may be contributed, when paid by the customer, to a REMC's tax exempt foundation or qualified Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) trust for investment or use for charitable purposes in the utility's service territory.(1) A round-up charitable billing plan must be included in a REMC's schedule of rates, tolls, or charges on file with and approved by the commission.(2) Notice of the availability of this billing plan must be placed in the customer pamphlet required under section 18 of this rule.Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission; No. 33629: Standards of Service For Electrical Utilities Rule 13; filed Mar 10, 1976, 9:10 a.m.: Rules and Regs. 1977, p. 345; filed Apr 16, 1994, 5:00 p.m.: 17 IR 2046; readopted filed Jul 11, 2001, 4:30 p.m.: 24 IR 4233; readopted filed Apr 24, 2007, 8:21 a.m.: 20070509-IR-170070147RFA; readopted filed Aug 2, 2013, 2:16 p.m.: 20130828-IR-170130227RFAReadopted filed 4/11/2019, 9:04 a.m.: 20190508-IR-170190136RFA