Sec. 07.03.25.08. Arrearage Retirement

A. Subject to Regulations .03-.05 of this chapter and the availability of funds, the Office may issue benefits for arrearage retirement to an electric and/or gas company in an applicant’s service area on behalf of an eligible applicant who owes an outstanding arrearage to the electric and/or gas company for service.

B. Arrearage retirement benefits:

(1) Are available once every 7 years for past due bills greater than $300 and up to $2,000;

(2) Shall be issued to assist an eligible electric and/or gas customer maintain or reestablish electric and/or gas service; and

(3) Are limited to arrearages owed to the applicant’s electric and/or gas company for service arrearages the applicant incurred, prior to the current monthly bill and which had been verified by the applicant’s electric and/or gas company during the application process.

C. The Office will grant waivers to allow households with a household member who is at least 65 years of age, under the age of 2, and/or medically fragile who received $800 or less within the previous 7 years to apply for additional arrearage funds, not to exceed the maximum allowable arrearage amount of $2,000.

D. The Office shall allow the applicant or navigator to review arrearage information provided by the applicant’s electric company during the application process.

E. Delivery of Arrearage Retirement Benefits. The Office shall:

(1) Issue the arrearage retirement benefits within the minimum and the maximum amount; and

(2) Make a benefit payment on behalf of the applicant.

F. Amount of Benefits. Benefit levels for arrearage retirement shall be based on the applicant’s arrearage balance with a minimum and maximum amount, subject to §§A-E of this regulation, verified by the applicant’s electric and/or gas company.

G. Disputes Regarding Arrearage Data.

(1) The local agency shall:

(a) Forward an applicant dispute regarding arrearage data supplied by the applicant’s electric and/or gas company to the Public Service Commission for resolution; and

(b) Continue the application and payment process pending the Public Service Commission’s notification of the dispute resolution.

(2) In disputed cases, the payment amount the local agency makes for the applicant’s arrearage retirement shall be the amount specified by the applicant’s electric company.

(3) Following resolution of the dispute, the applicant’s electric and/or gas company shall refund to the local agency benefits received on behalf of the applicant in excess of the amount the Public Service Commission determines to be correct.