Section 291-9-017 - BILLING017.01Billing Basis: Bills for service may be based on meter readings or estimated usage only as permitted by Rule 015.03. Utility may render bills monthly or on some other regular schedule in accordance with tariffs on file with the Commission.
017.02Customer Category: If a customer is eligible to receive service under more than one rate schedule, the utility, upon notice of this fact, must advise the customer of applicable, prospective alternatives.
017.03Meter Readings: A utility may schedule readings of all meters used for determining charges for customers in accordance with its meter reading policies and practices, and shall make all reasonable efforts to read the meters on corresponding dates of each meter reading period established by the utility. The utility may permit the customer to supply the meter reading in a form prescribed by the utility. A utility representative must attempt to read a meter at least once every two months, and any billing between actual readings or when the company is unable to read a meter after a reasonable effort has been made will be calculated in accordance with Rule 015.04. A utility representative must also read the meter at the commencement or termination of service unless such termination or commencement of service occurs at the same address as another termination or commencement of service within seven (7) days. Under such circumstances, the utility may estimate the meter reading based upon dates of service for the departing and the new ratepayer, and thereafter pro rate the monthly bill for service provided between the two ratepayers. Access to meters by the utility must be granted by a ratepayer.
017.04Estimated Billing: When access to a meter cannot be gained, or when the ratepayer fails to supply a meter reading form in time for the billing operation, an estimated bill may be rendered. Estimated bills must be based upon prior usage, adjusted for weather conditions, number of days in the applicable billing cycle, and other known and reasonable factors.
017.05Information on Bills: The bill sent to the ratepayer must include only information related to the ratepayer's account and bill inserts. The bill may include appropriate charges for non-regulated services, e.g. appliance repair. Bills provided to ratepayer for natural gas service must include the following information
017.05A The meter reading and the date the meter was read;017.05B The number and kinds of units metered;017.05C Identification of the applicable rates;017.05D The amount of the bill;017.05F If an estimated bill, clear and conspicuous language identifying the bill as an estimated bill;017.05G Tax, tax adjustment, state regulatory assessment, or gas supply cost adjustment amounts separately itemized, if applicable;017.05H A statement that ratepayer information is available upon request and where it can be obtained.017.05I A conspicuous notice to ratepayers that should the utility fail to satisfactorily resolve a service or billing dispute that they may refer the matter to the Nebraska Public Service Commission, including current address and telephone number.017.06Ratepayer Payment Records: A utility must retain a record showing the data contained on each monthly bill in accordance with its normal record retention policy and practices.
017.07Meter Testing: 017.07ABy Ratepayer Request: Any ratepayer may request its utility to test the ratepayer's natural gas meter. The utility must conduct the test as soon as reasonably possible after receipt of the request. If a particular meter is tested at the request of the same ratepayer more than once in a two-year period, the utility may require a ratepayer to pay a reasonable meter test fee for the cost of testing the meter. The meter test fee must be refunded if the meter is found to have an error of two percent (2%) or more. A ratepayer or a representative of the ratepayer may be present when the meter test is conducted. The utility must supply a report giving the name of the ratepayer requesting the test; the date of the request; the location of the meter; the type, make, size and number of the meter; the date tested; and the result of the test to the ratepayer.017.07BRandom Testing: Each jurisdictional utility must establish a method or plan for verifying the accuracy of meter readings which indicate unusually high or low natural gas usage by a ratepayer in comparison to the ratepayer's past or projected natural gas usage.017.08Credit and Deposit Policies: 017.08ANondiscriminatory Credit Policy Required: Each jurisdictional utility shall fairly, and without discrimination, administer a credit policy which is easily understandable and which extends natural gas service to as many Nebraskans as possible. The credit policy must be based upon the credit risk of the individual as evidenced by the individual's past experiences with residential gas purchases without regard to the collective credit reputation of the area in which the individual lives.017.08B For purposes of this rule, the following definitions apply: 017.08B1Satisfactory Credit: Within the last year of service the ratepayer has not had service disconnected for nonpayment of a bill for services rendered and has received less than three disconnection notices. Unless established otherwise in a jurisdictional utility's tariff or other extraordinary circumstances are present, a jurisdictional utility may not require an applicant for service or an existing ratepayer to establish or re-establish credit if that ratepayer or applicant for service exhibits satisfactory credit for twelve (12) consecutive months;017.08B2Unsatisfactory Credit: The ratepayer has had one or more disconnections in the last year of service, three or more disconnection notices in the last year of service, or has an undisputed outstanding debt with that jurisdictional utility. A jurisdictional utility may require that a ratepayer with unsatisfactory credit re-establish credit. If a ratepayer is unable to pay the full amount of a deposit, the jurisdictional utility may accept payment of the deposit in installments at the discretion of the jurisdictional utility;017.08B3Unknown Credit: The ratepayer has no known energy purchase experience. A jurisdictional utility can require that the applicant establish credit satisfactory to the jurisdictional utility.017.08CEstablishment or Re-establishment of Satisfactory Credit for Residential Service: To establish or re-establish satisfactory credit for residential service, a jurisdictional utility may require an applicant for service or a ratepayer to comply with the following: 017.08C1 Make a deposit of not more than one-sixth of the estimated annual bill or increase an existing deposit to that level; or017.08C2 Provide a guarantor who has satisfactory credit.017.09Billing Adjustments: For all billing adjustments resulting in a charge to the ratepayer, a jurisdictional utility must offer a reasonable amount of time for payment.
017.09AAdjustments of Bills for Slow or Fast Meter Error: Whenever any meter tested by a jurisdictional utility is found to have an error of two percent fast or more, it must refund or credit to the ratepayer the overcharge. Whenever any meter tested by the utility is found to have an error of two percent slow or more, it may charge for the natural gas consumed but not included in the bill previously rendered. The refund for a fast meter will result in a credit for the entire time period that the meter was malfunctioning. The charge for a slow meter must be based on the corrected meter reading for a period equal to one-half of the time elapsed since the most recent test, but not to exceed twelve months. If the period of the slow meter exceeds twelve months and can be fixed with reasonable certainty, any uncollected charges may be included in the jurisdictional utility's next general rate filing, or in a gas cost adjustment filing where uncollectible gas costs are permitted by the Commission to be recovered in such filing, as a bad debt expense subject to a rebuttable presumption that said expense was prudently incurred in the provision of natural gas service.017.09BAdjustments to Bills for Meters Failing to Register: If a meter is found not to register or to register intermittently for any period, subject to statutory limits, a utility may charge for an estimated amount of natural gas used, but not to exceed six months. Bills estimated under this section must be based upon prior usage, adjusted for weather conditions, number of days in the applicable billing cycle, and other known and reasonable factors.017.09CAdjustments to Bills for Other Meter Errors: If a ratepayer has been overcharged or undercharged as a result of an incorrect reading of the meter, incorrect application of a utility tariff, incorrect connection of the meter, application of an incorrect multiplier or constant or other similar reason, the overcharge must be credited or refunded to the ratepayer or the undercharge may be billed to the ratepayer. Any refund or credit shall cover the entire period that the account was overcharged. Any charge shall not exceed twelve months. If the period for the errors described herein exceeds twelve months and can be fixed with reasonable certainty, any uncollected charges may be included in the jurisdictional utility's next general rate filing, or in a gas cost adjustment filing where uncollectible gas costs are permitted by the Commission to be recovered in such filing, as a bad debt expense subject to a rebuttable presumption that said expense was prudently incurred in the provision of natural gas service.291 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 9, § 017