Section 8: Deposits, Charges, Payments, and Billing

A. Deposits

1. Residential - A deposit may be required from a residential Customer when applying for service and opening an account. An identity validation and credit assessment will be conducted for customers who are applying for service with Clallam County PUD. If a satisfactory credit rating is obtained through the assessment or you are an existing customer who has an established satisfactory credit rating with Clallam County PUD, you may be excluded from the deposit requirement. The deposit shall be as set forth in the District’s Schedule of Deposits and Charges.
2. Nonresidential - A deposit may be required from a nonresidential Customer unless the Customer has established a satisfactory credit record with the District. The amount of such deposit will be determined by the District after consideration of estimated billings (see Schedule of Deposits and Charges).
3. Additional or New Deposits - Nothing in these rules shall prevent the District from requiring additional or new deposits when conditions warrant.
4. Refund of Deposits - At the discretion of the District, deposits may be refunded or credited to an account when the Customer, by prompt payment of all bills rendered over a period of 1 year or more, has established a satisfactory credit rating. Deposit refunds or credits will be as set forth in the District’s Credit Requirements, Customer Rights and Obligations policy. Deposits will be refunded upon termination of service after all outstanding amounts due the District have been paid.

B. Charges

Payment of charges, as set forth in the applicable Schedule of Deposits and Charges, will be required of all.

C. Payments

1. Bills Payable Within 28 Days - All bills, for service rendered and minimum charges, are due when rendered and payable within 28 days from the statement billing date, unless otherwise specified, and if not so paid, become delinquent and subject to disconnection as outlined in Section 8.
2. Delinquent Payments - When a Customer develops a history of delinquency with the District in that billings are not paid within a 28-day period as stipulated above, and further, are not paid for two or more occasions, which need not be consecutive, the District may, at its option, require a deposit or additional deposit as security.
3. Budget Payment Plan - Budget Payment Plan shall be interpreted to mean that the Customer shall pay an estimated amount each month on or before the bill due date; and continuing on a regular monthly basis thereafter, and if not so paid, the amount may be deemed delinquent and subject to disconnection.
4. At the option of the Customer Service Supervisor, new Customers of the District, including all Customers who have not established credit with the District, may be placed on a Budget Payment Plan at a monthly amount estimated by the Customer Service Supervisor. Such monthly payments are due on the date established, and if not so paid, shall result in the account associated with said payments becoming delinquent and being subject to disconnection.
5. Right to Disconnect Service - The right to discontinue service for default may be exercised whenever and as often as default shall occur; and neither delay nor omission on the part of the District to enforce this rule at any 1 or more times shall be deemed a waiver of rights to enforce the same at any time, so long as the default continues.
6. Notice of Pending Disconnection – Written notice will be sent to a customer by first class mail 5 days before service is discontinued under this regulation and will advise the Customer of the reason(s) for the disconnection action except in the case of fraudulent use of service, when the District may disconnect service without notice. For the purpose of this regulation, notice shall be considered to have been given when placed in the United States mail addressed to the Customer at his mailing address as shown on the District's records.
7. Collection Notice - When it is necessary, in the opinion of the District, to mail a collection notice to any Customer (in addition to regular billing statement), a charge of the actual cost to the District may be added to the Customer's bill, in order that collection costs may be paid by those Customers creating said costs.
8. Paid Estimate Updates - Increases to the cost of materials, labor, services and/or unit costs approved by the Board of Commissioners will be applied to any customer project that has not been completed within 12 months of the estimate payment date. Updated costs will be invoiced or refunded at the close of the project.
9. Return of Customer Funds - Customer projects that are not completed within 36 months of the estimated payment date will be considered abandoned. The District will refund all remaining customer funds, prorated for any services already rendered by the District.

D. Returned Payment Charge

An accounting service charge (Returned Payment Charge), as set forth in applicable Schedule of Deposits and Charges, may be made to a Customer if a payment tendered to the District as payment for utility service is not honored by the Customer's financial institution because of insufficient funds, the bank account's having been closed, submission of incorrect financial information, or other irregularity. Payment of a delinquent balance with a dishonored payment submission may result in immediate termination of service.

Field Collection or Extension Charge A Field Collection or Extension Charge, as set forth in applicable Schedule of Deposits and Charges, may be made to a Customer who has not responded to a Disconnect Notice, requiring a District representative to make a personal visit that may allow for immediate electronic payment or arrangements for collection of the unpaid account.

E. Customer Rights

1. Informal Conference - A Customer who disputes the amount of a bill when due, or who does not intend to pay the full amount of the bill or invoice when due, shall have the right to an informal conference with certain designated employees in the District.
   1. Informal conferences shall take place during the normal working hours 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
   2. The Customer may either appear in person in the District's office or confer by telephone.
   3. Such designated employees shall have the authority to reach agreements with the Customer for a deferred payment schedule of the particular bill.
2. Appeal Hearings - If a Customer is not satisfied with the determination of the District's designated employee during the informal conference, the Customer may schedule a hearing with the District Hearing Officer.
   1. The Hearing Officer and any Deputy or Assistant Hearing Officers shall be management level employees and shall be appointed by the Commission from employees whose other duties are not connected with the credit section.
   2. A written or verbal appeal by a Customer must be filed with the Hearing Officer within 5 working days after the determination of the informal conference.
   3. In response to a timely appeal, the Hearing Officer shall arrange an appeal hearing at a mutually convenient and accessible location or conduct the hearing by telephone. Such hearing must be scheduled during normal working hours 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and within ten (10) days of receipt of the Customer's appeal.
   4. If the Customer requests, a record will be made of the proceedings. The Hearing Officer may use a recording device or other means of preserving a record which he/she deems appropriate; the Customer may provide, at his/her own expense, a court reporter, or supplemental means of providing a record. The Customer shall have the right to counsel.
   5. The Customer shall open the hearing with a statement of the nature of the appeal and shall present whatever evidence the Customer deems relevant. The Customer shall have the reasonable right to examine the records of the District relating to his/her account. After the Customer has completed presenting his/her appeal, the appropriate District personnel shall provide the District's position. The Customer shall have the right to rebuttal.
   6. The Hearing Officer shall provide the Customer with a written decision setting forth (a) the nature of the Customer's appeal; (b) the decision of the Hearing Officer; and (c) the reasons for the decision of the Hearing Officer. The written decision shall be promptly sent to the Customer by certified mail and may also be communicated by telephone.
   7. Service will not be disconnected while an appeal is pending provided that the Customer has complied with the above procedural requirements. The Customer shall have three days following the receipt of the written decision of the Hearing Officer to comply with the terms and conditions of the decision. If the Customer fails to take the action required by the Hearing Officer, including payment of a past due bill, or if he/she refuses to accept receipt of the Hearing Officer's decision, the District may disconnect service without further notice to the Customer.

F. Reconnection Charge

Whenever service has been discontinued as per these Regulations, a charge, as set forth in the District's Schedule of Deposits and Charges, will be made for restoring service. In the event that the actual cost of labor, transportation, and overhead to cover the expense of such restoration exceeds the designated charge, the Customer shall pay the actual cost.

G. Meter Testing

1. When a Customer inquires into his/her billing for any particular month, the District will, upon request, have such meter reread and the service inspected for defects. Should the Customer then desire that the meter be tested, he/she shall be required to make a deposit, as set forth in the Schedule of Deposits and Charges, to cover the cost of making such test. The meter will then be tested.
2. Should the meter show an error of over two (2) percent, said deposit will be refunded to the Customer, the meter corrected, and the bill adjusted. If the test of such meter should show an accurate measure within two (2) percent, the deposit will be retained by the District to cover the cost of testing. Whenever it shall be determined that any meter has not been registering correctly, then an average bill may be rendered, based either on the nearest four preceding months' average use when the meter was in good order, or on the same month of the preceding year if the use is seasonal.

H. Meter Tampering Charge

1. Any Customer receiving unmeasured or unauthorized electrical services is responsible for paying the full amount of said services reasonably determined by the District to have been diverted around the meter or received unmetered or unauthorized due to meter tampering, alteration, or replacement.
2. A Meter Tampering Charge, as set forth in Schedule of Deposits and Charges, will be added to the estimated billing for unmeasured or unauthorized services to cover the expense of District equipment restoration. In the event that the actual cost of labor, transportation, and overhead to cover the expense of such restoration exceeds the designated charge, the Customer shall pay the actual cost.

I. Meter Reading and Estimations

1. Meters will normally be read and bills rendered on a monthly cycle, except for Irrigation Service and certain remote or contract accounts. Readings may be done electronically.
2. If, in the opinion of the District, inclement weather or other extenuating circumstances make it impossible for the District to read meters for a temporary period, the District reserves the right to estimate meter readings and render bills based upon such estimates. Estimates will be based upon account history and weather factors. Actual energy consumption will be confirmed and adjusted as necessary with a subsequent regular meter reading cycle.
3. Closing meter readings will be done on the business day requested by the Customer.

J. Billing

1. Regular Bills - Bills for the regular billing period will be rendered based upon the meter reading or estimate.
2. Closing Bills -Closing bills will normally be rendered within seven (7) days of the Customer requested disconnect date.
3. Billing Error Adjustments
   1. The customer is financially responsible for all electric energy or water passing through their meter. In the event of a billing error, such as equipment failure or employee recording error, the District will make an adjustment to the billing on the basis of the best information available.
   2. In the event the adjustment is in favor of the customer (present or previous), the District will credit the customer’s account or refund the credit. The retroactive billing computation will be limited to the 36-month period measured immediately prior to the time of the correction.
   3. In the event the adjustment is in favor of the District, a retroactive bill to the customer will be provided. The retroactive billing computation will be limited to the 36-month period measured immediately prior to the time of the correction. The customer may choose to pay the retroactive bill over a period of time as agreed to with the District.