Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(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.
