Section 280.125  Deferred Payment Arrangements for Low Income Customers

a)         Intent: To enable low income customers to better retain essential utility services, a low income customer shall be eligible for all the provisions described in Section 280.120 from April 1 through November 30. In addition, a low income customer shall be entitled to the altered provisions described in this Section.

b)         Down Payment:

1)         In order to initiate a DPA, a utility may require a maximum down payment of 20% towards the past due amounts for utility service.

2)         By agreement with the customer, the utility may include current billing amounts with the past due amount as the total balance from which the 20% down payment may be calculated.

c)         Length of DPA Term:

1)         The amount of time offered to a low income customer for the completion of a DPA shall be set by the utility at 6 to 12 billing cycles.

2)         At its discretion, the utility may set the term for a period longer than 12 months.

d)         Reinstatement Fee Waiver: A utility shall not assess a reinstatement fee for any reinstatement of a DPA by a low income customer.

e)         Amended DPA:

1)         A utility shall offer an amended DPA to a low income customer who is in default on a first DPA if the customer has made at least two consecutive full payments under the first DPA and the customer has not been in default on the first DPA for more than 90 days.

2)         The amended DPA shall be for the same term or longer than the term of the first DPA.

3)         As a condition of entering the amended DPA, the utility may require the customer to participate in the payment option described in Section 280.80.