Chapter PSC 113

PSC 113.0408(3)(d)1.e. e. Current paycheck or pay stub showing the applicant’s name and address, and the employer’s name.

PSC 113.0408(3)(d)1.f. f. Verification of address provided by a social service or government agency.

PSC 113.0408(3)(d)2. 2. A utility may require an applicant to provide information that may be used for verification purposes, such as a telephone number or address, if the applicant submits one of the items in subd. 1. b., c., e., or f. to the utility.

PSC 113.0408(3)(e) (e) If a request for verification of identity or residency is based on par. (a) 2., the utility may require that the applicant provide the information in s. 196.23 (1), Stats.

PSC 113.0408(3)(f) (f) If a utility requests information under this subsection, it shall inform the applicant of all items that are acceptable for verification of identity or residency, and allow the applicant to choose which items the applicant wishes to provide.

PSC 113.0408(3)(g) (g) If an applicant refuses to provide the information under sub. (3) (c) or (d) or a utility finds, with reasonable certainty, that the verification is falsified, the utility may request an additional item, refuse service or disconnect service.

PSC 113.0408(4) (4) Processing applications and providing notice.

PSC 113.0408(4)(a) (a) Except under exceptional circumstances, a utility shall approve or deny an application for service no later than 10 calendar days after receipt of the information required under this section. An expected high volume of requests for service shall not constitute exceptional circumstances.

PSC 113.0408(4)(b) (b) A utility shall notify the applicant in writing within 5 days of its denial. A utility may notify an applicant verbally before written notification is sent. An application shall be considered denied when a service refusal has been finalized and no immediate conditions that could change that refusal remain. The notification shall include all of the following:

PSC 113.0408(4)(b)1. 1. An explanation of why service is being refused.

PSC 113.0408(4)(b)2. 2. The applicant’s right to ask commission staff to review the refusal.

PSC 113.0408(4)(b)3. 3. The commission’s address, telephone number and web site.

PSC 113.0408 Note Note: For example, if a utility has told a customer that it would supply service if the customer makes a payment, enters a deferred payment agreement or provides additional identity or residency information under sub. (3), the refusal is still conditional and has not been finalized.

PSC 113.0408(4)(c) (c) If a third party applies for service, a utility shall send written notification of the application to the most recent previous address of the person responsible for payment and the address for which service has been requested.

PSC 113.0408(4)(d) (d) If an applicant indicates that a third party is responsible for payment, a utility shall send written notification of the approval or denial of an application to both the third party and the applicant within 5 days of the application’s approval or denial, although a utility may notify the third party and applicant before written confirmation is sent. If service is refused, the written notification shall include the information in par. (b) 1. to 3.

PSC 113.0408 History History: CR 13-048: cr. Register July 2014 No. 703, eff. 8-1-14; s. 35.17 correction in (4) (a) Register July 2014 No. 703.

PSC 113.0409 PSC 113.0409 Application for commercial and farm service.

PSC 113.0409(1) (1) For purposes of this section, “written” or “in writing” means legibly printed on paper or, with the intended recipient’s permission, legibly printed in an electronic form that the recipient can electronically store and retrieve for future reference.

PSC 113.0409(2) (2) 

PSC 113.0409(2)(a) (a) A user of electric service shall apply for service in a form specified by the utility.

PSC 113.0409(2)(b) (b) A utility may require a verbal or written application for commercial or farm service. The utility shall establish a written policy for when a written application is required. A utility may accept an application for service from a person other than the user or potential user of service.

PSC 113.0409(2)(c) (c) The utility may only require that an applicant provide the following information in an application:

PSC 113.0409(2)(c)1. 1. Legal name of the user of service and the person responsible for bill payment, if different than the user.

PSC 113.0409(2)(c)2. 2. Telephone number of the user of service and the person responsible for bill payment, if different than the user.

PSC 113.0409(2)(c)3. 3. Address where service is to be provided.

PSC 113.0409(2)(c)4. 4. Mailing address if different from service address.

PSC 113.0409(2)(c)5. 5. Date requested for service to begin.

PSC 113.0409(2)(c)6. 6. The most recent previous address of the person responsible for bill payment.

PSC 113.0409(2)(c)7. 7. Credit information under par. (e).

PSC 113.0409(2)(c)8. 8. Initial identification data under par. (f).

PSC 113.0409(2)(d) (d) A utility may request information other than that listed in par. (c), but before requesting it the utility shall inform the applicant that providing that information is optional.

PSC 113.0409(2)(e) (e) A utility may request reasonable credit information from a commercial or farm applicant as part of its application for service. A utility shall establish a written policy about when it will request credit information and what credit information it will request.

PSC 113.0409(2)(f) (f) A utility shall accept any of the following items as adequate initial identification data, although it may accept other forms of identification:

PSC 113.0409(2)(f)1. 1. Federal employer identification number or proof that it has been applied for but not yet granted.

PSC 113.0409(2)(f)2. 2. Wisconsin department of financial institutions identification number.

PSC 113.0409(2)(f)3. 3. Wisconsin seller’s permit identification number.

PSC 113.0409(2)(g) (g) A utility may refuse or disconnect service for failure to provide any information specified in pars. (c) 1. to 7. or (f).

PSC 113.0409 Note Note: See sub. (3) (a) about what can be required if an applicant refuses to provide the initial identification data under par. (c) 8.

PSC 113.0409(3) (3) Identity verification.

PSC 113.0409(3)(a) (a) A utility may require verification of the initial identification data of an applicant for commercial or farm service under any of the following circumstances:

PSC 113.0409(3)(a)1. 1. An applicant refuses to provide the information under sub. (2) (c), (e), or (f).

PSC 113.0409(3)(a)2. 2. The utility finds, with reasonable certainty, that the information provided under sub. (2) (c), (e), or (f) is falsified.

PSC 113.0409(3)(b) (b) A utility shall establish a written policy for when it will require verification of identity under this subsection.

PSC 113.0409(3)(c) (c) A utility shall accept any of the following items as adequate verification of identity, although it may accept other forms of verification:

PSC 113.0409(3)(c)1. 1. State or federal income tax returns.

PSC 113.0409(3)(c)2. 2. Internal Revenue Service letter assigning federal employer identification number.

PSC 113.0409(3)(c)3. 3. Wisconsin seller’s permit or department of revenue letter assigning a Wisconsin seller’s permit identification number.

PSC 113.0409(3)(c)4. 4. Business articles of incorporation, partnership agreement, limited liability company articles of organization, or similar organizational documents.

PSC 113.0409(3)(d) (d) A utility may refuse or disconnect service if it does not obtain adequate verification of identity.

PSC 113.0409(4) (4) Processing applications and providing notice.

PSC 113.0409(4)(a) (a) Except under exceptional circumstances, a utility shall approve or deny an application for service no later than 10 calendar days after receipt of the information required under this section. An expected high volume of requests for service shall not constitute exceptional circumstances.

PSC 113.0409(4)(b) (b) A utility shall notify the applicant in writing within 5 days of the denial of application. A utility may notify an applicant verbally before written notification is sent. An application shall be considered denied when a service refusal has been finalized and no immediate conditions that could change that refusal remain. The notification shall include all of the following:

PSC 113.0409(4)(b)1. 1. An explanation of why service is being refused.

PSC 113.0409(4)(b)2. 2. The applicant’s right to ask commission staff to review the refusal.

PSC 113.0409(4)(b)3. 3. The commission’s address, telephone number and web site.

PSC 113.0409 Note Note: For example, if a utility has told a customer that it would supply service if the customer makes a payment, enters a deferred payment agreement or provides additional identity information under sub. (3), the refusal is still conditional and has not been finalized.

PSC 113.0409(4)(c) (c) If a third party applies for service, a utility shall send written notification of the application to the potential user’s mailing address and the address for which service has been requested.

PSC 113.0409(4)(d) (d) If an applicant indicates that a third party is responsible for payment, a utility shall send written notification of the approval or denial of an application to both the third party and the applicant within 5 days of the application’s approval or denial, although a utility may notify the third party and applicant before written confirmation is sent. If service is refused, the written notification shall include the information in par. (b) 1. to 3.

PSC 113.0409 History History: CR 13-048: cr. Register July 2014 No. 703, eff. 8-1-14.

PSC 113.0410 PSC 113.0410 Billing statement inserts. No offer, advertisement, solicitation, announcement, statement, representation or other material shall be placed on a customer’s billing statement unless it meets the criteria of s. 196.595 (2), Stats., or ch. PSC 113.

PSC 113.0410 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.0412 PSC 113.0412 Limiting connected load. If the utility maintains a rate based on connected load, provision shall be made in its rules whereby the customer may arrange his or her load or wiring in such manner as is reasonably acceptable to the utility, whether by the use of double-throw switches or such other devices as may be approved by the utility, so that only a portion of the load may be served at one time and whereby, in such cases, the connected load to be used for the computation of charges shall be the largest load which can be served at any one time.

PSC 113.0412 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

subch. V of ch. PSC 113 Subchapter V — Customer Service and Protection

PSC 113.0501 PSC 113.0501 Information available to customers.

PSC 113.0501(1) (1) Each utility shall have available in its offices where payments are received and at area libraries, copies of its rates and rules applicable to the locality. The rates and rules shall be available for customer inspection by electronic, written or telephonic means and reasonable notice as to their availability shall be provided to customers.

PSC 113.0501(2) (2) Each electric utility, for every municipality in which it serves shall provide in the respective telephone directories a telephone listing by which the utility can be notified during a 24-hour day of any utility service deficiency or emergency which may exist.

PSC 113.0501(3) (3) Where a second language is common in a particular area served by the utility and so identified by the commission, all rules pertaining to billing and credit shall be available upon customer request, for distribution in English and that second language in every business office of the utility in that area accessible to the public and where customer payments are received.

PSC 113.0501(4) (4) Each utility shall provide written notice to its residential customers annually and a written notice to all new residential customers, at a minimum, of the rules on deposits, payment options including deferred payment agreements and budget billing, disconnection and dispute procedures; of the availability of information on energy conservation practices, of the availability of a clear, concise record of the customer’s actual electric consumption (or actual degree-day adjusted electric consumption) for each billing period during the prior 12 months or the actual number of months that the customer has lived at that location if less than 12 months and of the availability of agencies or programs which may provide financial aid assistance or counseling; and contain a reply procedure to allow customers an opportunity to advise the utility of any special circumstances, such as the presence of infants or elderly persons or the use of human life-sustaining equipment and to advise the utility to contact a specific third party agency or individual prior to any disconnection action being taken.

PSC 113.0501(5) (5) A utility shall provide on request to current or prospective customers, tenants or property owners residential energy consumption information. This information shall include either the average consumption for the prior 12-month period or figures reflecting the highest and lowest consumption amounts for the previous 12 months. Provision of this information is neither a breach of customer confidentiality nor a guarantee or contract by the utility as to future consumption levels for the premises in question. The requestor shall be entitled to one such statement at a charge not in excess of $1 once every 12 months. Additional statements shall be furnished if the customer pays the utility’s reasonable costs of preparing and furnishing the statement.

PSC 113.0501 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.0502 PSC 113.0502 Planned service interruptions.

PSC 113.0502(1) (1) Unless conditions of an actual or potential emergency nature require otherwise, each utility shall strive to give reasonable advance notice to affected customers of each planned service interruption expected to last more than 30 minutes. No such notification is necessary when applying load control or on-peak control systems.

PSC 113.0502(2) (2) Whenever feasible, interruptions expected to last more than 1 hour and affect more than 100 customers, or interruptions to critical loads, shall be scheduled for periods which will cause a minimum of customer inconvenience.

PSC 113.0502 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.0503 PSC 113.0503 Telephone answering time.

PSC 113.0503(1) (1) In this section:

PSC 113.0503(1)(a) (a) “Computerized call center system” means a system where an automatic call distributor is used to manage incoming calls and to place calls in a queue and that has the capability to generate significant statistical information.

PSC 113.0503(1)(b) (b) “Speed of answer” means the amount of time it takes for a call to be connected to either a live agent or an automated system that is ready to assist the customer and is measured beginning from the point when the call is first queued to be connected.

PSC 113.0503(2) (2) 

PSC 113.0503(2)(a) (a) A utility or its agent shall maintain sufficient employees and equipment to achieve an average speed of answer of not more than 90 seconds. The average speed of answer shall be determined by summing the total queuing time and dividing by the total number of customer calls handled by automated systems. A utility or its agent shall calculate this average speed of answer on a monthly basis, including customer service calls, outage calls and emergency calls.

PSC 113.0503(2)(b) (b) A utility or its agent shall maintain sufficient employees to achieve an average speed of live response of not more than 90 seconds. The average speed of live response shall be determined by summing the total time from indication of request for live response and divided by the total number of calls answered by a live agent. A utility or its agent shall calculate this average speed of answer on a monthly basis, including customer service calls, outage calls and emergency calls.

PSC 113.0503(3) (3) A utility or its agent shall give emergency calls the highest priority and shall be generally available for all calls and must provide customers with the option of selecting a live agent contact among those selections presented by any computerized call center system.

PSC 113.0503(4) (4) A utility or its agent shall maintain average speed of answer data in a manner set forth by the commission and must provide customers with the option of selecting a live agent contact among those selections presented by any computerized call center system.

PSC 113.0503(5) (5) The requirements of subs. (2) to (4) do not apply in either of the following circumstances:

PSC 113.0503(5)(a) (a) To a utility or its agent that do not use a computerized call center system.

PSC 113.0503(5)(b) (b) During natural disasters, severe weather, or other events beyond the utility’s control that adversely impact the utility’s telephone answering capabilities.

PSC 113.0503 History History: Cr. Register, July, 2000, No. 535, eff. 8-1-00.

PSC 113.0504 PSC 113.0504 Change in type of service.