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:

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

is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     39-2-1.5. Minimum customer service levels.

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

ratepayers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

sufficient.

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

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

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

improvement, prior to approving any rate increase.

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

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

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

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

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

to the ratepayer as the investigation proceeds.

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

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

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

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

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

     39-2-8. Penalty for violations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

any fee to the ratepayer.

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

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

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

     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

***

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

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

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

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

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

any fee payable by the ratepayer.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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