Definitions

PURPOSE: This rule defines various terms that are used in this chapter. (1) The following definitions shall apply to this chapter: (A) Applicant means an individual(s) or other legal entity who has applied to receive service; (B) Bill means a written demand, including, if agreed to by the customer and the utility, an electronic demand, for payment for service or equipment and the taxes, surcharges, and franchise fees; (C) Billing period means a normal usage period of not less than twenty-six (26) nor more than thirty-five (35) days for a monthly billed customer nor more than one hundred (100) days for a quarterly billed customer, except for initial, corrected, or final bills; (D) Complaint means an informal or formal complaint under 4 CSR 240-2.070; (E) Corrected bill means any bill issued for a previously rendered bill; (F) Credit score means a score, grade, or value that is derived by using data from a nationally known commercial credit source that uses data from a credit history model developed for the purpose of grading or ranking credit report data; (G) Customer means a person or legal entity responsible for payment for service, except one (1) denoted as a guarantor; (H) Cycle billing means a system which results in the rendition of bills to various customers on different days of a month; (I) Delinquent charge means a charge for utility service that remains unpaid for at least twenty-one (21) days for a monthly-billed customer and for at least sixteen (16) days by a quarterly billed customer from the date the utility renders the bill, or a charge remaining unpaid after the preferred payment date selected by the customer; (J) Delinquent date means the date stated on a bill, which shall be at least twenty-one (21) days for a monthly billed customer, and at least sixteen (16) days for a quarterly billed customer from the rendition date of the bill or the preferred payment date selected by the customer, after which the utility may assess a commission approved late payment charge in accordance with the utility’s tariff on file with the commission; (K) Denial of service means the utility’s refusal to commence service upon an applicant’s request for service at a particular location; (L) Deposit means a money advance to a utility for the purpose of securing payment of delinquent charges which might accrue to the customer who made the advance; (M) Discontinuance of service or discontinuance means a cessation of service not requested by a customer; (N) Due date means the date stated on a bill when the charge is considered due and payable; (O) Estimated bill means a charge for utility service which is not based on an actual reading of the meter or other registering device by an authorized utility representative; (P) Final bill means a bill rendered for services through the final date of service; (Q) Guarantee means a written promise from a third party to assume liability up to a specified amount for delinquent charges which might accrue to a particular customer; (R) Initial bill means the first bill rendered by a utility for a customer’s service; (S) In dispute means to question and request examination of utility bills or services rendered; (T) Inquiry means a question or request for information related to utility charges, services, practices, or procedures; (U) Late payment charge means an assessment on a delinquent charge in accordance with a utility tariff on file with the commission and in addition to the delinquent charge; (V) Payment means cash, draft of good and sufficient funds, or electronic transfer; (W) Payment agreement means a payment plan entered into by a customer and a utility; (X) Preferred payment date plan means a commission-approved plan offered at the utility’s option in which the delinquent date for the charges stated on a bill shall occur on the same day during each billing period as selected by the customer; (Y) Purchased gas adjustment (PGA) clause means the adjustment procedure approved by the commission to recognize variations in the cost of purchased gas; (Z) Rendition of a bill occurs on the date mailed, sent electronically, or hand delivered; (AA) Residential service or service means the provision of or use of a utility service for domestic purposes; (BB) Seasonally billed customer means a residential customer billed on a seasonal basis in accordance with a utility AND INSURANCE tariff on file with the commission; (CC) Settlement agreement means an agreement between a customer and a utility which resolves any matter in dispute between the parties or provides for the payment of undisputed charges over a period longer than the customer’s normal billing period; (DD) Tariff means a schedule of rates, services, and rules describing a utility’s service, filed by a utility and approved by commission order or operation of law; (EE) Termination of service or termination means a cessation of service requested by a customer; (FF) Utility means an electric, gas, sewer, or water corporation as those terms are defined in section 386.020, RSMo; and (GG) Utility charges mean the rates for utility service and other charges authorized by the commission. AUTHORITY: sections 386.250(6) and 393.140(11), RSMo 2016.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 240-13.015. Original rule filed Sept. 22, 1993, effective July 10, 1994. Amended: Filed March 24, 2004, effective Oct. 30, 2004. Amended: Filed Aug. 1, 2013, effective March 30, 2014. Amended: Filed Nov. 7, 2018, effective July 30, 2019. Moved to 20 CSR 4240-13.015, effective Aug. 28, 2019. *Original authority: 386.250(6), RSMo 1939, amended 1963, 1967, 1977, 1980, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996 and 393.140(11), RSMo 1939, amended 1949, 1967.