South Dakota Administrative Rules
Title 20 - PUBLIC SAFETY
Article 20:10 - PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Chapter 20:10:17 - Gas and electric customer billing rules
Section 20:10:17:11 - Estimated billing

When access to a meter cannot be gained and the customer fails to supply a meter reading form in time for the billing operation, an estimated bill may be rendered. When necessary, the utility may render estimated bills without reading meters or supplying meter reading forms to customers. When a utility is engaged in a periodic meter reading and estimated billing program, the utility may render estimated bills without reading meters or supplying meter reading forms to customers. A utility engaged in such a program shall, upon the written request of a customer, read the customer's meter or provide the customer with a meter reading form if the customer would normally receive an estimated bill for that billing period. When a customer fails to return a meter reading form under the customer meter reading plan, an estimated bill may be rendered. Estimated bills shall be based on the customer's normal consumption for a corresponding period during the preceding months or any other method specifically authorized by tariff. Only in unusual cases, such as inability to gain access to a meter or bad weather, or when approval is obtained from the customer shall more than three consecutive estimated bills be rendered. If an estimated bill appears to be abnormal when a subsequent reading is obtained, the bill for the entire period shall be computed at a rate which considers the use of service for that entire period and the estimated bill shall be deducted. If there is reasonable evidence that the use occurred during only one billing period, the bill shall be computed to reflect this usage.

General Authority: SDCL 49-34A-4.

Law Implemented: SDCL 49-34A-3, 49-34A-4, 49-34A-27.

Meter readings, § 20:10:17:02.