Section 4901:1-18-12 - Percentage of income payment plan program eligibility for gas utility service(A) Rules 4901:1-18-12 to 4901:1-18-17 of the Administrative Code, apply to PIPP plus for residential service from a gas or natural gas utility company. PIPP plus rules and requirements for residential electric utility service are located in Chapter 122:5-3 of the Administrative Code.(B) A customer is eligible for PIPP plus if the customer meets one of the following criteria: (1) Annual household income is one hundred seventy-five percent or less than the federal poverty guidelines for the corresponding household sizes.(2) The household income for the thirty days prior to enrollment, if annualized, is one hundred seventy-five percent or less than the federal poverty guideline for the corresponding household size.(C) If the customer meets the income eligibility requirements, as set forth in paragraph (B) of this rule, to participate in PIPP plus, the customer must also: (1) Apply for all public energy assistance for which the customer is eligible.(2) Apply for and accept all weatherization programs for which the customer is eligible.(3) Sign and submit a release to the Ohio department of development and the affected jurisdictional gas or natural gas utility company giving permission for that entity to receive information from any public or private agency that provides income or energy assistance to the customer, or from any member of the customer's household, and/or from any public or private employer of the customer or member of the customer's household as it relates to PIPP plus eligibility.(4) Notify the local agency designated by the Ohio department of development, within thirty days, of any change in income or household size.(D) In addition to the requirements set forth in paragraphs (B) and (C) of this rule, a PIPP plus customer must also periodically reverify his/her eligibility. (1) All PIPP plus customers must provide proof of eligibility to the Ohio department of development of the household income at least once every twelve months at or about the customer's PIPP plus reverification date. The customer shall be accorded a grace period of sixty days after the customer's PIPP plus reverification date to reverify eligibility.(2) Except as provided in this paragraph, the PIPP plus customer must be current on his/her income-based PIPP plus payments at the customer's PIPP plus anniversary date to be eligible to remain on PIPP plus for the subsequent twelve months. The customer will have one billing cycle after the PIPP plus anniversary date to pay any missed PIPP plus payments before being removed from the program. Missed PIPP plus payments include:(a) Any delayed payments as a result of the customer's prior use of a medical certificate in accordance with paragraph (C) of rule 4901:1-18-06 of the Administrative Code.(b) Any missed payments, including PIPP plus payments which would have been due for the months the customer is disconnected from gas utility service up to a maximum of twenty-four months. The amount due also shall not exceed the amount of the customer's arrearage and shall be paid prior to the restoration of utility service.(3) PIPP plus customers who have been dropped from the PIPP plus program due to nonpayment or not meeting the terms of the program (e.g. failure to reverify or to bring account current at the anniversary date) and who were otherwise eligible for PIPP plus, may re-enroll in the program after all missed PIPP plus payments have been cured, up to a maximum of twenty-four payments. This includes missed PIPP plus payments for any months in which the customer's service was maintained while not on the program (less any payments made by the customer) or service was disconnected. The dropped PIPP plus customer is not eligible for any incentives or credits in accordance with rule 4901:1-18-14 of the Administrative Code for payments made pursuant to this rule. The amount due shall not exceed the amount of the customer's arrearage.(4) All PIPP plus customers must also provide proof of eligibility to the gas or natural gas utility company upon request. No gas or natural gas utility company shall request such proof without justification.(E) Upon the customer's enrollment in PIPP plus and at reverification, the gas or natural gas utility company shall provide the customer with a copy of PIPP plus literature including, at a minimum, the customer's monthly payment, service address, current arrearages, nonrecurring fees, timely payment incentives, reverification requirements including the customer's anniversary date, and customer responsibilities when the customer is no longer eligible for the program.Ohio Admin. Code 4901:1-18-12
Effective: 11/24/2022
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 9/22/2026
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: ORC 4905.04, 4905.06
Rule Amplifies: ORC 4905.06, 4905.22, 4933.12, 4933.122
Prior Effective Dates: 03/22/1980, 10/06/1982, 12/01/1983, 01/19/1984, 10/10/1984, 01/08/1985, 12/07/1991, 09/01/2004, 11/01/2010, 02/03/2011, 04/15/2015, 11/01/2021, 07/27/2022 (Emer.)