The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) issued a Finding and Order yesterday that partly approved and partly modified Vectren’s proposed transition plan. Under these plans, utilities provide a roadmap for how they will restart meter reading, repairs, disconnections, and other activities suspended during the pandemic.
What I did not realize is that Vectren, along with Suburban, continued to drop PIPP customers from the program for failing to reverify or make up missed payments on their anniversary date. This was counter to a previous Commission Order. The Commission chastised the Company and directed them to reconnect and/or place back on PIPP anyone that was dropped from the program between March 12th and July 27th, and directed the Company to provide a report to the Commission staff on the number of customers placed back on PIPP within 30 days.
I wanted you all to be aware of this situation if you weren’t already. This is very troubling. The following are the rules regarding gas PIPP as issued by the Commission: 1) Any payment missed between 3/12/20 and 9/7/20 are to be rolled into the participant’s arrearage. 2) Income must be reverified by 9/7/20 in order to remain on the program.
It is unclear whether the anniversary date requirements will be enforced after 9/7/20. However, as a practical matter, because all missed payments are being rolled into a customer’s arrearages, the anniversary date should not be an issue for most customers.
I’ve attached an excerpt from the order that covers the PIPP issue. Hope this helps.