monthly electric bill for electric residential service. If the customer receives natural gas
and electric residential service from a combination utility, the deposit shall not exceed the
total of the utility's combined system average monthly natural gas and electric bills.
(4) A deposit that is required as a condition of providing, restoring, or continuing
residential service due to unauthorized use of utility service shall not be more than either
of the following:
(a) Four times the average peak season monthly bill for the premises if the customer's
consumption history for the premises is available.
(b) Four times the utility's system average peak season monthly bill for residential
service if the customer's consumption history for the premises is unavailable.
(5) The utility may also require payment of the delinquent account and approved
charges as a condition of providing, restoring, or continuing residential service if the
account is in the customer's, or applicant's name, is delinquent, owed to the utility,
and accrued within the last 6 years.
(6) Unless the applicant misrepresents his or her identity or credit standing or fails
to provide positive identification information, if requested, at the time of applying for
residential service, the utility shall not assess a deposit if the customer has been receiving
service for 30 days or more.
(7) Except in the case of unauthorized use of utility service, if the utility shuts off
residential service for nonpayment, the utility shall not require a deposit as a condition
of restoring service unless the utility offered the customer, prior to shutoff for
nonpayment, the opportunity to enter into a payment plan as provided in Part 10 of
these rules, R 460.154 to R 460.159.
(8) A utility shall pay interest at the rate of 5% per annum on all deposits. A utility shall
credit interest semiannually to the residential service account of the customer or pay it
upon the return of the deposit, whichever occurs first.
(9) The customer's credit shall be established and the utility shall return the deposit
and accrued interest upon satisfactory payment by the customer of all proper charges
for residential service for a period of 12 consecutive months. A utility may retain the
deposit assessed because of unauthorized use of utility service for a period of 36
months and shall refund the deposit upon satisfactory payment of the final 12 months'
charges.
(10) For purposes of this rule, payment is satisfactory if it is made before the issuance
of a notice of shutoff of service for nonpayment that is not in dispute or within 5 days
after the issuance of the next succeeding monthly bill, whichever is sooner.
(11) For customers terminating residential service, if the utility has not already returned
the deposit, the utility shall credit the deposit, with accrued interest, to the final bill. For
customers continuing to receive service, a utility may apply the deposit against an
existing arrearage that is not in dispute. The utility shall promptly return the balance to
the customer.
(12) A utility shall maintain a detailed record of all deposits received for residential
service. The record shall show all of the following information:
(a) The name and address of the depositor and either the applicant or customer.
(b) The location served by the utility at the time of making the deposit and each
successive location while the deposit is retained.
(c) The amount and date of the deposit.
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