2019 -- H 5841

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LC001936

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND

CARRIERS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Tobon, Barros, Shanley, Craven, and Diaz

     Date Introduced: March 13, 2019

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 39-2 of the General Laws entitled "Duties of Utilities and Carriers"

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is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     39-2-1.5. Minimum customer service levels.

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     (a) Every public utility shall provide prompt and adequate customer service to its

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ratepayers.

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     (b) Each electric distribution company as defined in § 39-1-2 having greater than one

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hundred thousand (100,000) customers and each gas distribution company included as a public

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utility as defined in § 39-1-2 having greater than one hundred thousand (100,000) customers shall

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provide prompt installation of new service and service upgrades to its ratepayers, including

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providing status updates to ratepayers regarding installation and upgrade-related wait times.

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     (c) The commission shall establish appropriate customer service standards and

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procedures to implement this section. The commission shall conduct a review at least once every

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five (5) years to ensure service quality standards and procedures related to this section are

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sufficient.

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     (d) The commission may evaluate and address the performance of any company that

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requests a rate increase as part of the rate case review process, in accordance with subsections (a)

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and (b) of this section. The commission may require improved performance, including proof of

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improvement, prior to approving any rate increase.

 

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     (e) Any ratepayer who alleges that a utility has failed to provide prompt and adequate

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customer service, or that the electric distribution company or gas distribution company has failed

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to promptly install service upgrades or new service in accordance with subsection (b) of this

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section, may submit a formal or informal complaint with the division. The division shall

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investigate and rule upon all complaints in an expedited manner and shall provide status updates

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to the ratepayer as the investigation proceeds.

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     (f) The division shall have the authority to assess a penalty, in accordance with § 39-2-8,

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against any utility that fails or neglects to provide prompt and adequate customer service, or to

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promptly install service upgrades or new service, as determined by the division.

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     SECTION 2. Section 39-2-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-2 entitled "Duties of

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Utilities and Carriers" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-2-8. Penalty for violations.

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     Any public utility which shall violate any provision of chapters 1 -- 5 of this title, or shall

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do any act herein prohibited, or shall fail or refuse to perform any duty enjoined upon it for which

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a penalty has not been provided, shall be subject to a penalty of not less than two hundred dollars

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($200) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) ten thousand dollars ($10,000), and in the

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case of a continuing violation of any of the provisions of the the chapters this chapter, every day's

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continuance thereof shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense. Any penalty provided

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in this section shall not be recoverable from ratepayers in future rates.

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     SECTION 3. Chapter 39-3 of the General Laws entitled "Regulatory Powers of

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Administration" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     39-3-37.4. Itemized bills -- Electrical distribution company.

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     (a) Every electrical distribution company which charges for the distribution of electricity

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to any house, building, tenement or estate, shall provide upon request an itemized bill or

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statement following any installation, construction, site visit, or other service for which there is

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any fee to the ratepayer.

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     (b) The electrical distribution company shall provide the requesting ratepayer with a

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detailed written estimate prior to performing any installation, construction, site visit or other

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service, unless the total estimated cost for the service is five hundred dollars ($500) or less.

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     SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND

CARRIERS

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     This act would require public utilities and electric distribution companies to provide

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prompt and adequate service to its ratepayers relating to new service and service upgrades,

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subject to a penalty of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation. Electric distribution

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companies would be required to provide, upon request, written estimates of any work to be

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performed of more than five hundred dollars ($500), with an itemized bill for work performed for

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any fee payable by the ratepayer.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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