Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 515-7-6-.02 - Service Quality Standards for Billing

(a) Marketers shall comply with the following service quality standards for billing firm retail customers, unless a signed contract predating the effective date of this rule specifically states other arrangements:

(1) A bill shall be mailed (or posted electronically) by a marketer (or its designated billing agent) to a retail customer within thirty (30) days of the date following the actual monthly meter reading or date of the estimated reading, if applicable. The consumer shall have at least twenty (20) days from the date the bill is mailed (or posted electronically) to pay the bill before it is past due.

(2) A bill shall be substantially correct as it applies to the EDC information available to the marketer at the time of bill preparation for the period in question as well as for the fixed or variable rate and all other charges that the retail customer has consented to pay.

(3) Marketers shall utilize the results of actual meter reads and are prohibited from sending estimated bills to natural gas consumers; provided, however, that when information from actual meter readings is not made available by the EDC or any other party authorized to perform meter reading, marketers may send an estimated bill for not more than two consecutive months. In the event the marketer sends a customer a bill based on estimates of the amounts owed pending receipt by the marketer of additional EDC information, the bill shall be clearly and conspicuously marked as an "estimate."

(4) A bill shall include clear and unambiguous statements that readily identify:

a. The consumer's name, billing address, service address and EDC account number;

b. The dates of service reflecting the period of time for which the bill is being assessed (the meter reading period);

c. The number of therms consumed during the meter reading period and the price per therm;

d. An itemization of each type of competitive natural gas service included in the bill, any related billing components and charges for each type of natural gas service as well as any other information the consumer would need to recalculate the bill for accuracy, which shall include, but not be limited to:

1. The deposit amount, if applicable;

2. Any switching, connection, or reconnection charges;

3. Any additional charge assessed by the marketer regarding a particular payment method;

4. Any true-up amount now due to the marketer as a result of a budget plan being terminated;

5. Any cancellation or early termination charges;

6. The exact amount of the base charge that is being charged by the EDC for that particular retail customer, which shall be identified as the EDC charge; and

7. All applicable state and local taxes.

e. The applicable billing determinants, including the beginning meter reading; the ending meter reading; the standard multiplier (British Thermal Unit factors and the consumer's dedicated design day capacity factor), as well as any other different multipliers used; and any other consumption adjustments;

f. The amount billed for the current period, any unpaid amounts due from previous periods, any payments or credits applied to the consumer's account during the current period, any late payment charges or gross and net charges, if applicable, and the total amount due and payable.

g. The type of rate plan, fixed or variable, applicable to the consumer's account.

h. The due date for payment to keep the account current;

i. The current balance of the account, if the natural gas consumer is billed according to a budget plan;

j. The amount due resulting from any pay arrangement;

k. Options and instructions on how the natural gas consumer can make a payment;

l. A toll-free or local telephone number and address, and email address for consumer billing questions or complaints for any retail natural gas company whose charges appear on the bill;

m. The applicable EDC's 24 hour local or toll-free telephone number for reporting service emergencies;

n. An explanation of any codes and abbreviations used; and

o. A description of the charges or credits contained in the bill.

(5) The competitive retail natural gas service charges billed to a consumer shall not exceed the marketer's published price in effect at the beginning of the consumer's billing cycle, except that for fixed rate plan customers, the published price in effect at the beginning of each billing cycle shall be the published price in effect at the time the customer signed up for the plan.

(6) No marketer shall engage in the practice of cramming when billing its natural gas customers.

(7) In the event the bill is for more than one meter read period, the base charge, the customer service charge, and, if the marketer has the meter reading information necessary to do so, the consumption charge and interstate capacity charge shall be disaggregated by meter read period.

(8) No marketer shall increase a firm retail customer's competitive retail natural gas service charge or assess new or additional charges to a customer during the term of a fixed-rate plan.

(9) No marketer shall assess new or additional customer service charges or other charges or fees to a customer under a variable-rate plan, without providing the customer advance written notice by mail or by the consumer preferred method of communication, of those changes or additions at least 25 days prior to implementation of the charge or fee. For consumption and interstate capacity charges assessed under a variable-rate plan, the marketer shall inform the customer of any modification in the methodology for computing such charges at least 25 days prior to implementation of the methodology. No marketer shall charge a customer a higher rate as a result of such new methodology unless such notice has been given. Notice of such new or additional charges or methodology modifications shall be written in clear and conspicuous language and shall inform the consumer of the right to cancel service without penalty by calling, writing or electronically contacting the marketer within three days from receipt of the notice.

(10) In a situation in which it is appropriate for a late fee or other penalty to be applied to a customer's account, the fee or penalty imposed by the marketer shall be reasonable and shall not exceed $10.00 or 1.5% of the past due balance, whichever is greater. A marketer shall not apply a late fee to a customer's account if the past due balance is less than $30.00.

(11) In a situation in which it is appropriate to apply a credit to the customer's account or issue the customer a refund, the credit or refund shall be applied or issued within 60 days after the overpayment has been acknowledged or admitted to by the marketer.

(12) Notwithstanding any other provision set forth in this rule, a bill shall not be deemed to be in non-compliance of Commission Rule 515-7-6-.02(a)(1)to(4) if said non-compliance is a product of a force majeure or of an act of an independent third-party.

(b) Marketers shall provide notification using the consumer preferred method of communication or include in a customer's bill information referencing the Commission's web site address (www.psc.state.ga.us) where the consumer may obtain pricing information relative to gas marketers.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 515-7-6-.02

O.C.G.A. §§ 46-2-30, 46-2-91, 46-4-150et seq. (See especially, O.C.G.A. §§ 46-4-153, 46-4-160).

Original Rule entitled "Service Quality Standards for Billing" adopted. F. Jan. 5, 2001; eff. Jan. 25, 2001. Amended: F. Feb. 22, 2002; eff. Mar. 14, 2002. Amended: F. Sept. 3, 2002; eff. Sept. 23, 2002. Amended: F. Jan. 7, 2004; eff. Jan. 27, 2004. Amended: F. Jan. 24, 2005; eff. Feb. 13, 2005. Amended: F. June 8, 2018; eff. June 28, 2018.