PSC-19-14-00002-EP Electricity Bill Discounts for Low Income Customers

5/14/14 N.Y. St. Reg. PSC-19-14-00002-EP

NEW YORK STATE REGISTER

VOLUME XXXVI, ISSUE 19

May 14, 2014

RULE MAKING ACTIVITIES

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

EMERGENCY/PROPOSED RULE MAKING

NO HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

 

I.D No. PSC-19-14-00002-EP

Filing Date. Apr. 24, 2014

Effective Date. Apr. 24, 2014

Electricity Bill Discounts for Low Income Customers

PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following action:

Proposed Action:

The Public Service Commission adopted an order approving a Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid proposal to provide bill credits to customers enrolled in both the Company’s electric Low Income Discount Program and its AffordAbility Program to provide financial assistance for the payment of those customers’ electric bills.

Statutory authority:

Public Service Law, sections 65 and 66

Finding of necessity for emergency rule:

Preservation of public health, public safety and general welfare.

Specific reasons underlying the finding of necessity:

This action is taken on an emergency basis, under Public Service Law §§ 65 and 66, to grant the petition of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid to provide bill credits to customers enrolled in both the Company’s electric Low Income Discount Program and its AffordAbility Program to provide financial assistance for the payment of those customers’ electric bills. The bill credit will help offset unprecedented price increases that occurred in the winter months of 2013 - 2014. Without such aid, customers most in need of assistance may not be able to pay their electricity bills resulting in terminations of service, as well as potentially uncollectible arrears that will have to be borne by the Company’s other customers who are facing the same unprecedented price increases. This relief is being provided on an emergency basis because the bill increases are to go into effect as of the Company’s May 2014 bills. To be effective, relief must be provided before May 1, 2014. Should relief not be granted timely, customers who can ill-afford to lose electric service which can affect heating, cooking and other life necessities may face shut offs due to unpaid bills.

Subject:

Electricity bill discounts for low income customers.

Purpose:

To provide credits to low income customers to offset the effect of unprecedented bill increases.

Substance of emergency/proposed rule:

The Public Service Commission adopted an Order granting, on an emergency basis, the request of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation d/b/a National Grid to provide bill credits to customers enrolled in both the Company’s electric Low Income Discount Program and its AffordAbility Program to provide financial assistance for the payment of those customers’ electric bills. Funding for the discounts is already provided in the Company’s effective rate plan, however, the rate plan does not provide the flexibility necessary for the Company to provide the proposed discount absent Commission authorization. The credit will be provided to eligible customers in their May 2014 electric bills or as soon thereafter as practicable. The discounts are designed to help the Company’s most vulnerable customers by offsetting the effect of anticipated bill increases caused by unprecedented cost increases that occurred during the winter months of 2013-2014.

This notice is intended:

to serve as both a notice of emergency adoption and a notice of proposed rule making. The emergency rule will expire July 22, 2014.

Text of rule may be obtained from:

Deborah Swatling, Public Service Commission, 3 Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350, [phone], email: [e-mail]

Data, views or arguments may be submitted to:

Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary, Public Service Commission, 3 Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350, [phone], email: [e-mail]

Public comment will be received until:

45 days after publication of this notice.

Regulatory Impact Statement, Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, Rural Area Flexibility Analysis and Job Impact Statement

Statements and analyses are not submitted with this notice because the amended rule is within the definition contained in section 102(2)(a)(ii) of the State Administrative Procedure Act.

(12-E-0201EP6)