Ohio Administrative Code
Title 4901:1 - Utilities
Chapter 4901:1-18 - Termination of Residential Service
Section 4901:1-18-16 - Graduate percentage of income payment plan program

(A) Percentage of income payment plan plus (PIPP plus) customers that remain within the gas or natural gas utility company's service territory shall automatically be enrolled in the graduate PIPP plus program when one of the following occurs:

(B) PIPP plus customers removed from the program due to fraudulent enrollment in the PIPP plus program are not eligible to participate in graduate PIPP plus.

(C) Any graduate PIPP plus customer who tampers with the gas or natural gas utility company's meter, metering equipment, or other property, or is the beneficiary of such act, shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs (E)(2)(a) to (E)(2)(d) of rule 4901:1-18-07 of the Administrative Code.

(D) To be eligible for graduate PIPP plus, a former PIPP plus customer must be current with his/her income-based payments on the gas or natural gas utility company account or cure any missed PIPP plus payments within two billing cyclecycles of the customer's removal from PIPP plus.

(E) Upon enrollment in graduate PIPP plus, the gas or natural gas utility company shall provide the graduate PIPP plus customer with a copy of the graduate PIPP plus participation requirements including, at a minimum, the customer's monthly payment plan over the next twelve months or the remaining term of the graduate PIPP program, service address, mailing address, the account arrearage at graduate PIPP plus initiation, applicable fees, if any, arrearage credit, and the customer's responsibilities.

(F) Upon enrollment in graduate PIPP plus, the customer shall be provided the incentive of a reduction in their outstanding arrearages in return for continuing to make timely payments of the amount due, as set forth in rule 4901:1-18-14 of the Administrative Code.

(G) The graduate PIPP plus customer shall be billed the average of his/her income-based PIPP plus payment and the customer's budget bill amount, calculated using the utility company's normal methodology, ([PIPP plus payment + budget bill amount] ÷ 2) for the twelve billing cycles following enrollment in the program or the remaining term of the graduate PIPP program. The transition payment shall be based on the income and household size immediately prior to the PIPP plus customer becoming ineligible for PIPP plus or electing to terminate participation in PIPP. After twelve billing cycles, the graduate PIPP plus customer is no longer eligible for arrearage credits. At the conclusion of graduate PIPP, any remaining arrearage on the customer's account may become due and the customer may be placed on one of the extended payment plans in rule 4901:1-18-05 of the Administrative Code. If the arrearage remains on the customer's account and the customer fails to make extended payment arrangements, the gas or natural gas utility company may initiate disconnection procedures for failure to pay the remaining arrearage.

(H) An active or former graduate PIPP plus customer may re-enroll in PIPP plus at any time, provided that he or she meets the income qualifications. The active or former graduate PIPP plus customer must be current with his or her graduate PIPP plus payments or cure any missed graduate PIPP plus default prior to re-enrollment in PIPP plus.

(I) No gas or natural gas utility company shall require a deposit on graduate PIPP plus customer accounts while the customer is enrolled in graduate PIPP plus. The gas or natural gas utility company may assess the customer a deposit, pursuant to rule 4901:1-17-04 of the Administrative Code, if the customer elects to terminate participation in graduate PIPP plus or the customer's participation in PIPP plus is terminated.

(J) No gas or natural gas utility company shall apply late fees to a graduate PIPP plus customer's account.