PSC 113.0301(14)(14)Residential service shall not be disconnected on a day, or on a day immediately preceding a day, when the business offices of the utility are not available to the public for the purpose of transacting all business matters unless the utility provides personnel who are readily available to the customer 24 hours per day to evaluate, negotiate or otherwise consider the customer’s objections to the disconnection as provided under s. PSC 113.0407 and proper service personnel are readily available to restore service 24 hours per day.
PSC 113.0301(15)(15)Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, residential utility service may not be refused because of a delinquent account if the customer or applicant provides as a condition of future service a deposit or guarantee as governed by s. PSC 113.0402, or a voucher agreement. If the guarantor has agreed to be responsible for payment of all future bills, the customer shall be notified of the billing arrangement and of the ability to reject the proposed arrangement.
PSC 113.0301(16)(16)The utility may not disconnect services in affected counties when a heat advisory, heat warning, or heat emergency issued by the national weather service is in effect. A utility shall make reasonable attempts to reconnect service to an occupied dwelling that has been disconnected when an occupant states that there is a potential threat to health or life that results from the combination of the heat and loss of service. The utility may require that an occupant produce a licensed physician’s statement or notice from a public health, social services, or law enforcement official which identifies the medical emergency for the occupant. Upon expiration of the heat advisory, heat warning, or heat emergency, the utility may disconnect service to a property that was reconnected during this period without further notice if an appropriate payment arrangement has not been established.
PSC 113.0301(17)(17)If the utility becomes aware that there are extenuating circumstances, such as infirmities of aging, developmental, mental or physical disabilities, the use of life support systems, or like infirmities incurred at any age, or the frailties associated with being very young, the utility shall take these circumstances into consideration prior to disconnecting service.
PSC 113.0301 HistoryHistory: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00; CR 06-046: am. (10) (c) 4. Register April 2007 No. 616, eff. 5-1-07; correction in (1m) (g) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register April 2013 No. 688; CR 13-048: am. (1m) (i), r. (1m) (j), (3) Register July 2014 No. 703, eff. 8-1-14.
PSC 113.0302PSC 113.0302Disconnections, commercial and farm accounts.
PSC 113.0302(1)(1)Commercial or farm accounts which involve occupied dwellings shall be subject to s. PSC 113.0304.
PSC 113.0302(2)(2)Commercial or farm utility service may be disconnected or refused for any of the following reasons:
PSC 113.0302(2)(a)(a) Failure to pay a delinquent account.
PSC 113.0302(2)(b)(b) Violation of the utility’s rules pertaining to the use of service in a manner which interferes with the service of others or to the operation of non-standard equipment, if the customer has first been notified and provided with reasonable opportunity to remedy the situation.
PSC 113.0302(2)(c)(c) Failure to comply with a deposit, guarantee arrangement, or installment payment agreement, as specified in s. PSC 113.0403.
PSC 113.0302(2)(d)(d) Refusal or failure to permit authorized utility personnel to read the meter at least once every 6 months in order to determine actual usage. The 6-month period begins with the date of the last meter reading.
PSC 113.0302(2)(e)(e) Failure to comply with Wisconsin statute, commission rule or commission order pertaining to conservation or availability of service.
PSC 113.0302(2)(f)(f) Failure to pay costs or fees incurred by and awarded to the utility by a court of law, for pursuit of collection of bills, or failure to pay extraordinary collection charges as allowed and specified in the utility’s tariffs filed with the public service commission.
PSC 113.0302(2)(g)(g) Failure to comply with applicable requirements of this section, or of the utility’s rules, or with s. 196.16, Stats., or if the customer proposes to use a device that is not designed to reasonably minimize interference with communication and signal services.
PSC 113.0302(2)(h)(h) Refusal or failure to provide authorized utility personnel access to utility equipment.
PSC 113.0302(3)(3)A utility is not required to furnish commercial or farm service under conditions requiring operation in parallel with generating equipment connected to the customer’s system if such operation is hazardous or may interfere with its own operations or service to other customers or with service furnished by others. The utility may specify requirements as to connection and operation as a condition of rendering service under such circumstances.
PSC 113.0302(4)(4)A public utility may disconnect commercial or farm utility service, without notice, where a dangerous condition exists for as long as the condition exists.
PSC 113.0302(5)(5)A public utility may disconnect commercial or farm utility service, without notice, where it has reasonable evidence that utility service is being obtained by potentially unsafe devices or potentially unsafe methods that stop or interfere with the proper metering of the utility service.
PSC 113.0302(6)(6)A public utility may disconnect commercial or farm utility service, without notice, where service has been reconnected without the utility’s authorization.
PSC 113.0302(7)(7)
PSC 113.0302(7)(a)(a) Account arrears incurred by an owner or property manager for rental residential dwelling units or responsibility for non-compliance with energy conservation requirements as set out in ch. PSC 136 may be transferred, without regard to class of service, to the home or office account of the owner or property manager.
PSC 113.0302(7)(b)(b) The utility shall send written notice of the planned transfer of the account arrears or responsibility for non-compliance with energy conservation requirements to the owner or property manager prior to making the transfer.
PSC 113.0302(7)(c)(c) If the account arrears remain unpaid or the structure in question continues to be in non-compliance with the energy conservation requirements, the utility may disconnect the owner’s or property manager’s residence or office service, provided that the utility complies with the disconnection provisions of ss. PSC 113.0301 and 113.0304.
PSC 113.0302(7)(d)(d) An owner or property manager whose account is subject to disconnection action may avoid disconnection of service by making payment, by making an agreement with the utility for an extension of time for a specific period, or by installing the required energy conservation measures in the property in question. Any disconnection shall be in compliance with ss. PSC 113.0301 and 113.0304.
PSC 113.0302(8)(8)Commercial or farm utility service may not be disconnected or refused for any of the following reasons:
PSC 113.0302(8)(a)(a) Delinquency in payment for service by a previous occupant of the premises to be served.
PSC 113.0302(8)(b)(b) Failure to pay for merchandise or charges for non-utility service billed by the utility.
PSC 113.0302(8)(c)(c) Failure to pay for a different type or class of utility service, except as provided in s. PSC 113.0302 (7) (a).