PSC 134.0624(6)(a)(a) Prior to, and again at the time of disconnection of service, a utility representative shall meet personally with a responsible, adult member of the household to discover any circumstances which deserve special attention, such as medical problems or disabilities.

PSC 134.0624(7)(7) Telephone availability. A utility shall provide its emergency after-hours telephone number to all households scheduled for utility service disconnection.

PSC 134.0624(8)(8) Customer and occupant service information. Prior to disconnection, a utility shall inform the household of the availability of deferred payment agreements, budget billing, and in the case of a noncustomer occupant, the option of accepting responsibility for future bills.

PSC 134.0624(9)(9) No disconnection on certain days. A utility may not disconnect service to an occupied dwelling on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, holiday or on a day when utility personnel are not readily available to the occupant 24 hours per day to negotiate restoration of service.

PSC 134.0624(10)(10) Third party contacts. If the household has previously requested that a specific third party be notified before disconnection, the utility shall contact that third party prior to disconnecting service.

PSC 134.0624(11)(11) Management-level employee. The utility shall designate by November 1 each year one or more executive employees who will be responsible for final approval of the disconnection of utility service, and notify the commission, in writing, of the name, title, and contact number of the person or persons so designated. The designated employee shall certify on a form approved by the commission that all appropriate code provisions have been met prior to authorizing disconnection. For investor-owned utilities with 30,000 or more customers, the designated person shall be an employee with at least the position of vice president. For investor-owned utilities with fewer than 30,000 customers, the designated employee shall be the utility president. For a municipal utility the designated employee shall be either the general manager or chairperson of the governing board. A utility may designate an employee in the absence of the above-listed personnel because of illness or vacation.

PSC 134.0624(12)(12) Reports.

PSC 134.0624(12)(a)(a) The utility shall report each disconnection of service to an occupied dwelling, by facsimile transmission, if available, or telephone to the consumer services bureau of the public service commission by 3:30 p.m. the same day the disconnection takes place.

PSC 134.0624(12)(b)(b) If a utility intends to make any disconnection of service to occupied dwellings under the provisions of this section, it shall each year, prior to making any disconnections, file procedures for review and receive approval by order of the public service commission describing how it intends to identify the occupied dwellings subject to disconnection. If within 60 days of submission the commission has not, by order, approved the procedures, the procedures shall be considered disapproved.

PSC 134.0624(13)(13) Follow-up visit.

PSC 134.0624(13)(a)(a) By the end of the work day following the day of disconnection, the utility shall make an in-person visit to the occupied dwelling to check on the household’s wellbeing and to ensure there is no danger to human health and life. The utility shall again inform the household of the availability of deferred payment or budget billing agreements, shelter assistance, and in the case of a noncustomer occupant, the option of accepting responsibility for payment of future bills. If the utility or its representative observes a danger to human health or life due to the disconnection, the utility shall immediately restore service.

PSC 134.0624(13)(b)(b) The utility may request that the visit required under par. (a) be made by a representative of a city health department, local health and social service agency, local law enforcement agency, or similar authority, but ultimate responsibility for the visit shall remain with the utility.

PSC 134.0624(14)(14) Internal procedures. The utility shall submit for approval by commission order copies of its written internal procedures for implementing this section and any materials used in training its employees to carry out these rules. If within 60 days of submission the commission has not, by order, approved the internal procedures, the procedures shall be considered disapproved. The utility shall review these procedures annually and update the filed procedures when appropriate. A utility which does not disconnect occupied residences for nonpayment during the winter period is not required to file such procedures.

PSC 134.0624 HistoryHistory: Emerg. cr. 11-7-84; cr. Register, December, 1984, No. 348, eff. 1-1-85; am. (1), (3) and (4), Register, December, 1987, No. 384, eff. 1-1-88; emerg. r. and recr. eff. 10-25-88; r. and recr. Register, October, 1989, No. 406, eff. 11-1-89; corrections in (5) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, September, 1997, No. 501; 2019 Wis. Act 1: am. (1), (4) Register May 2019 No. 761, eff. 6-1-19.

PSC 134.0625PSC 134.0625 Customer-requested termination of service. With regard to customer-requested termination of service at an unoccupied residence, the utility may rely on verification by the owner or the owner’s agent that the residence is unoccupied, provided that the utility visits the premises at the time of termination of service and has no reason to believe that the premises are occupied. If the premises appear to be occupied, the utility shall follow the procedures set out in s. PSC 134.062 (8) (b).

PSC 134.063(1)(1) A utility is required to offer deferred payment agreements only to residential accounts and may offer such agreements to other customers.

PSC 134.063(2)(2) Every deferred payment agreement entered into due to the customer’s inability to pay the outstanding bill in full shall provide that service will not be disconnected if the customer pays a reasonable amount of the outstanding bill and agrees to pay the remaining outstanding balance in reasonable installments.

PSC 134.063(3)(3) For purposes of determining reasonableness in sub. (2), the parties shall consider the customer’s ability to pay, including the following factors:

PSC 134.063(4)(4) A deferred payment agreement offered by a utility shall state immediately preceding the space provided for the customer’s signature and in bold face print at least 2 type sizes larger than any other used thereon,