Mich. Admin. Code R. 460.102

Current through Vol. 24-21, December 1, 2024

Section R. 460.102 - Definitions; A to F

Rule 2. As used in these rules:

(a) "Actual meter reading" means a natural gas or electric meter reading that is based on the customer's actual energy use during the period reported and that complies with 1 of the following:

(i) Performed by a utility representative.

(ii) Performed by the customer and communicated to the company by mail, telephone, fax, on a secure company website, or other reasonable means.

(iii) Transmitted to the utility from the meter through a secure communication channel or by an automated or remote meter reading device.

(b) "Aggregate data" means any customer account information from which all identifying information has been removed so that the individual data or information of a customer cannot be associated with that customer without extraordinary effort.

(c) "Answer" means that a utility representative, voice response unit, or automated operator system is ready to render assistance or ready to accept information necessary to process the call.

(d) "Applicant" means an emancipated minor, an individual 18 years of age or older, or a business entity requesting utility electric or natural gas service in the name of that individual or entity.

(e) "Billing error" means an undercharge or overcharge that is caused by any of the following:

(i) An incorrect actual meter reading by a company representative.

(ii) An incorrect remote meter reading.

(iii) An incorrect meter constant or pressure factor.

(iv) An incorrect calculation of the applicable rate.

(v) A meter switched by the utility or a utility representative.

(vi) An incorrect application of the rate schedule.

(vii) Failure to provide a monthly bill to the customer at the end of a billing cycle except as provided in these rules or other relevant tariffs.

(viii) Another similar act or omission by the utility in determining the amount of a customer's bill. An undercharge or overcharge that is caused by a non-registering meter, a meter error, or the use of an estimated meter reading or a customer reading is not a billing error.

(f) "Billing month" means a natural gas or electric consumption period of not less than 26 days or more than 35 days.

(g) "Billing specialist" means a representative of a utility who investigates and resolves meter reading discrepancies or errors.

(h) "Call" means a measurable effort by a customer to obtain a telephone connection whether the connection is completed or not.

(i) "Call blockage factor" means the percentage of calls that do not get answered.

(j) "Commission" means the Michigan public service commission.

(k) "Complaint determination" means the written decision of a hearing officer after a customer hearing.

(l) "Complaint response" or "response" means a communication between the utility and the customer that identifies the problem and a solution to the complaint.

(m) "Complaint response factor" means the annual percentage of the complaints forwarded to a utility by the commission that are responded to within the time period prescribed by these rules.

(n) "Critical care customer" means any customer that requires, or has a household member who requires, home medical equipment or a life support system, and that, on an annual basis, provides a commission-approved medical certification form from a physician or medical facility to the utility identifying the medical equipment or life support system and certifying that an interruption of service would be immediately life-threatening.

(o) "Customer" means an account holder that purchases electric or natural gas service from a utility.

(p) "Customer hearing" means a hearing on a disputed matter before a hearing officer that a utility offers to a customer under the provisions of R 460.155.

(q) "Cycle billing" means a system that renders bills for utility service to various customers on different days of a calendar month.

(r) "Delinquent account" means an account with charges for utility service that remains unpaid 5 days or more after the due date.

(s) "Eligible low-income customer" means a utility customer whose household income does not exceed 150% of the federal poverty guidelines as published annually in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under its authority to revise the poverty line under 42 USC 9902, or who receives any of the following:

(i) Supplemental security income from the Social Security Administration or low-income assistance through the department of health and human services or a successor agency.

(ii) Food stamps.

(iii) Medicaid.

(t) "Eligible military customer" means a utility customer or spouse of a customer who is in the military and who meets all of the following:

(i) Is on full-time active duty.

(ii) Is deployed overseas in response to a declared war or undeclared hostilities or is deployed within the United States in response to a declared national or state emergency and the household income is reduced as a result.

(iii) Notifies the utility of his or her eligibility.

(iv) Provides verification of eligibility if requested by the utility.

(u) "Eligible senior citizen customer" means a utility customer who meets both of the following criteria:

(i) Is 65 years of age or older.

(ii) Advises the utility of his or her eligibility.

(v) "Energy assistance program" means a program that provides financial assistance or assistance in improving residential energy efficiency and energy conservation.

(w) "Energy usage" means the consumption of electricity or natural gas.

(x) "Estimated bill" means a bill for service at the premises that is not based on an actual meter reading for the period being billed but that is based on calculations of how much natural gas or electricity a customer likely used during the billing period.

(y) "Formal hearing" means a dispute resolution process administered by an administrative law judge pursuant to these rules, applicable tariffs, and R 792.10101 to R 792.11903 concerning practice and procedure before the commission.

(z) "Formal hearing request" means a document describing how a regulated utility has violated these rules, a commission order, or a tariff that is presented in writing to the executive secretary of the commission.

Mich. Admin. Code R. 460.102

2007 AACS; 2017 AACS; 2023 MR 7, Eff. 4/10/2023