A bill rendered by a public utility for metered
residential public utility service must state clearly the following
information:
(1) The beginning and
ending dates of the billing period.
(2) If applicable, the beginning and ending
meter readings for the billing period. If a bill is estimated, it shall contain
a clear and conspicuous marking of the word "Estimated."
(3) The due date on or before which payment
shall be made or the account will be delinquent.
(4) The amount due for service rendered
during the current billing period, specifying the charge for basic service, the
energy or fuel adjustment charge, State tax adjustment surcharge if other than
zero, State sales tax if applicable and other similar charges. The bills should
also indicate that a State gross receipts tax is being charged and a reasonable
estimate of the charge. A Class A utility shall include a statement of the
dollar amount of total State taxes included in the current billing period
charge. For the purpose of this paragraph, a Class A utility shall also include
a Class A telephone utility as defined under §
63.31 (relating to classification
of public utilities).
(5) Amounts
due for reconnection charges.
(6)
Amounts due for security deposits.
(7) The total amount of payments and other
credits made to the account during the current billing period.
(8) The amount of late payment charges,
designated as such, which have accrued to the account of the customer for
failure to pay bills by the due date of the bill and which are authorized under
§
56.22 (relating to accrual of late
payment charges).
(9) The total
amount due.
(10) A clear and
conspicuous marking of estimates.
(11) A statement directing the customer to
"register any question or complaint about the bill prior to the due date," with
the address and telephone number where the customer may initiate the inquiry or
complaint with the public utility.
(12) A statement that a rate schedule, an
explanation of how to verify the accuracy of a bill and an explanation, in
plain language of the various charges, if applicable, is available for
inspection in the local business office of the public utility and on the public
utility's web site.
(13) A
designation of the applicable rate schedule as denoted in the officially filed
tariff of the public utility.
(14)
Electric distribution utilities and natural gas distribution utilities shall
incorporate the requirements in §
§
54.4 and
62.74 (relating to bill format for
residential and small business customers).
Notes
The
provisions of this § 56.15 adopted June 16, 1978, effective
6/17/1978, 8 Pa.B. 1655; amended
January 8, 1988, effective 1/9/1988, 18 Pa.B. 185; amended October 7, 2011,
effective 10/8/2011, 41 Pa.B.
5473.
The provisions of this § 56.15 amended under the
Public Utility Code,
66 Pa.C.S. §
§
501,
1301,
1302,
1401-1419,
1504 and
1509.
This section cited in 52 Pa. Code §
54.2 (relating to definitions); 52
Pa. Code §
54.4 (relating to bill format for
residential and small business customers); 52 Pa. Code §
62.72 (relating to definitions);
52 Pa. Code §
62.74 (relating to bill format for
residential and small business customers); and 52 Pa. Code §
69.251 (relating to plain
language-statement of policy).
