04 NCAC 11 R08-20. UTILITIES COMMISSION

R8‑20     DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICE FOR VIOLATION OF RULES OR

NONPAYMENT OF BILLS

(a)  No utility shall discontinue the service to any consumer for violation of its rules or regulations, or for nonpayment of bills without having first tried to induce the consumer to comply with its rules and regulations or to pay his bills.

(b)  Service shall actually be discontinued only after at least 24 hours' written notice of such intention shall have been given to the consumer by the utility; provided, however, that where fraudulent use of current is detected, or where a dangerous condition is found to exist on the consumer's premises, the service may be shut off without notice in advance.

(c)  Said notice herein prescribed may be given by leaving a copy thereof with such consumer at the premises where such service is rendered, or by mailing same through the United States mail to the consumer's last known post‑office address.

(d)  Consumer shall have the privilege of paying delinquent bill at any time prior to actual disconnection of service lines supplying him; provided, that where the utility dispatches an employee to the premises of any consumer for the purpose of disconnecting service lines, a fee not to exceed one dollar may be added to consumer's delinquent bill to cover cost to utility of dispatching such employee to consumer's premises, which fee must be paid as a part of consumer's delinquent account.

(e)  Whenever the service is turned off for violation of rules or regulations, or fraudulent use of current, the utility may make a reasonable charge for the cost of renewing it.

(f)  Where a consumer has been required to make a guarantee deposit this shall not relieve consumer of the obligation to pay the service bills when due, but where such deposit has been made and service has been discontinued on account of nonpayment of bill, then in such event unless consumer shall, within forty-eight hours after service has been discontinued, apply for reconnection of service and pay the account, then in such event the utility shall apply the deposit of such consumer toward the discharge of such account and shall as soon thereafter as practicable, refund the consumer any excess of the deposit.