Section 480-100-103 - Information to consumers(1) An electric utility must make available at each of its listed business offices information regarding rates, rules, and regulations needed for its customers and applicants to obtain adequate and efficient service.(2) The utility must maintain a toll-free telephone number available for its applicants and customers during business hours to receive information relating to services and rates, to accept and process orders for service, to explain charges on customer bills, to adjust charges made in error, to respond to customer inquiries and complaints, and to generally act as representatives of the utility.(3) The utility must provide to each applicant relevant rate information and a brochure that explains the rights and responsibilities of a utility customer. The brochure must include, at a minimum, information about the utility's regular business hours, the utility's mailing address, the utility's toll-free number, the twenty-four hour emergency number(s), and an explanation of the utility's processes to establish credit, deposits, billing, delinquent accounts, disconnection of service initiated by the utility, cancellation of service by the customer, the dispute resolution process, and the commission's informal complaint procedures to be followed if the customer remains dissatisfied with the utility's dispute process. The utility may provide this information in an electronic format consistent with provisions in this chapter governing the use of electronic information.(4) At least once each year, the utility must directly advise each of its customers how to obtain: (a) A copy of the consumer brochure described in subsection (3) of this section;(b) A copy of the customer's applicable rate information;(c) A copy of the electric rules, chapter 480-100 WAC; and(d) A copy of the utility's current rates and regulations.(5) The utility must provide an applicant, upon request, the high and low bills for the requested service premises during the prior calendar year, if such data is available.(6) The utility must provide a customer, upon request, a detailed account of the customer's actual electric usage at the service premises for the previous twelve-month period, if such data is available.(7) The utility must provide customers information comparing energy usage for the current month and same billing month of the previous year, if available, either on the customers' bills or upon request, as follows: (a) Number of days in billing period;(b) Kilowatt hours used; and(c) Average kilowatt hours used per day.(8) The utility must provide the commission with electronic or paper copies of all pamphlets, brochures, and bill inserts of regulated service information at the same time the utility delivers such material to its customers.Wash. Admin. Code § 480-100-103
Statutory Authority: RCW 80.01.040 and 80.04.160. 11-06-032 (Docket U-100523, General Order R-563), § 480-100-103, filed 2/25/11, effective 3/28/11; 01-11-004 (Docket No. UE-990473, General Order No. R-482), § 480-100-103, filed 5/3/01, effective 6/3/01.