Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) Bills rendered to
retail customers for service shall clearly show at least the following:
1) The date of the meter reading, the number of
days in the billing period, the energy used, the meter constant if applicable, the
type of service rendered, a complete description of the service or rate
classification under which the customer receives service, and the type of reading
that was used in the bill calculation (such as actual, estimated or customer
reading), and, for meters for which beginning and ending meter readings are used as
billing determinants, the reading of the meter at the beginning and the reading of
the meter at the end of the period for which the bill is rendered.
2) In the event that a bill rendered to retail
customers is not based on usage derived from meter readings, the bill must indicate
the period of time for which the bill is rendered, the type of service rendered, and
a complete description of the service or rate classification under which the
customer receives service.
3) Minimum
content requirements listed vertically for easy readability:
A) The total amount of the bill.
B) The monthly customer charge or portion
thereof.
C) The demand
charges.
D) If applicable, the cost of
gas detailed by the number of therms used and the price per therm for each change in
the unit price. For alternative gas suppliers, only the weighted average price per
therm need be provided, unless otherwise provided in the contract between the
customer and the alternative gas supplier.
E) If applicable, the cost of gas
adjustment.
F) Any other applicable
adjustments (other charges not under categories of charges but relating to services,
energy or other programs provided to customer by the utility).
G) State tax.
H) Municipal tax.
I) Optional services listed separately.
4) The due date of the bill.
5) Definitions or explanations of any
abbreviations and technical words used on the bill.
6) The name and the toll-free telephone number of
each service provider whose services to the customer appear on the bill.
7) The average use per day for the period over
which the bill is rendered and for the comparable period one year earlier, and an
indication of the difference in temperatures between the two periods. If this
information is not available for a customer, the bill shall so state.
b) A utility or alternative gas
supplier, upon request by a customer, shall transmit at a minimum a statement of the
actual consumption of therms by the customer at the customer's present service
address for each billing period during the immediately preceding 12-month period for
which that customer was receiving service.
c) All gas utilities shall have on file with the
Commission a proposed tariff under Section 9-201 of the Act that contains a bill
form complying with the requirements of subsection (a). By January 1, 2017, all
billings shall comply with the requirements of subsection (a).
d) As mandated by Section 8-302 of the Act,
whenever a customer for whom a gas utility provides metering service provides the
utility with a written request asking the meter reader to leave a card showing the
meter readings and dates, the gas utility shall have its meter reader leave a card
showing these meter readings and dates.
e) At least annually, each gas utility shall
disclose to each of its customers information about the customer's service in a
clear and concise manner. The disclosure shall contain the following minimum
requirements:
1) A description of the rates or
charges for the rate classification under which the customer receives
service.
2) An identification and
explanation of optional or experimental rates or classifications available to
customers.
3) An identification and
explanation of all charges that are not related to costs incurred in service and the
supply of energy to that customer.
f) In addition, for customers served under the
residential and commercial classifications, a utility disclosure statement shall
contain the following:
1) An explanation of the
terms appearing on the customer's bill form.
2) An example of how to calculate a bill using the
customer's existing rate.
g)
Disclosure statements shall be provided by the utility:
1) To each new utility customer, not later than 60
days after the date of commencement of service, through a billing insert, separate
mailing or direct customer contact by a representative of the utility.
2) To all affected customers in the event of a
change in overall utility rate levels. The disclosure statement shall be
transmitted, at a minimum, within the second complete billing cycle after the
utility rates become effective following the issuance of a final order in any rate
proceeding by the utility. If the disclosure is sent during a period in which
proration occurs, a statement such as the following shall be incorporated in the
text:
"This summary is being sent during a period in which proration
occurs. Proration occurs when part of your bill is charged on old utility rates and
part of your bill is charged on new utility rates. If an attempt is made to
calculate your bill using this rate summary, your calculation will not yield the
proper billing amount for this billing period, but will do so in subsequent months.
We recommend that you retain this summary for future reference in computing proper
billing amounts."
h)
Each alternative gas supplier shall provide to all residential and
small commercial customers (unless otherwise indicated in
subsections (h)(1) through (5)) the following information:
1)
Accurate, timely, and itemized billing
statements that describe the products and services provided to the customer and
their prices and that specify the gas consumption amount and any service charges and
taxes. This subsection (h)(1) does not apply to small commercial
customers. [220 ILCS
5/19-115(g)(3)(A)]
2)
Billing statements that clearly and
conspicuously disclose the name and contact information for the alternative gas
supplier. [220 ILCS
5/19-115(g)(3)(B)]
3) In the event that a bill rendered by an
alternative gas supplier is not based on usage derived from meter readings, the bill
must indicate the period of time for which the bill is rendered. This subsection
(h)(3) does not apply to small commercial customers.
4)
An additional statement, at least
annually, that adequately discloses the average monthly prices, and the terms and
conditions, of the products and services sold to the customer. This
subsection (h)(4) does not apply to small commercial customers.
[220 ILCS
5/19-115(g)(3)(C)]
5) An alternative gas supplier may satisfy its
obligation to provide an additional annual statement disclosing a customer's terms
and conditions by providing a notification that describes the means by which a
customer can obtain the terms and conditions of the products and services sold to
the customer, such as a reference to the alternative gas supplier's website or the
customer service number where or through which a copy of the applicable terms and
conditions can be downloaded or requested, provided that upon customer request, a
written copy of the terms and conditions of the products and services sold to the
customer shall be provided by the alternative gas supplier to the customer without
charge to the customer.
i)
"Retail customer", as used in this Section, means a single entity using natural gas
at a single premises and that is receiving tariffed services from a gas utility, or
a residential or small commercial customer receiving gas commodity service from an
alternative gas supplier.
j) The
provisions of this Section shall apply only to:
1)
Natural gas public utilities; and
2)
Alternative gas suppliers serving residential or small commercial customers and only
to the extent that the alternative gas suppliers provide services to residential or
small commercial customers.
