ORS 757.698
Low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance
(1)
An electric company, as defined in ORS 757.600 (Definitions for ORS 757.600 to 757.687), or Oregon Community Power shall collect funds for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance in an amount determined by the Public Utility Commission. The commission shall:(a)
Establish the amount to be collected and rates to be charged by each electric company from its customers, including customers receiving electricity from other sources, such that the forecasted collection by all electric companies in a calendar year is at least $20 million.(b)
Adjust the rates if forecasted collections or actual collections are less than $20 million in any calendar year but shall not otherwise adjust the rates once set.(c)
Ensure that no customer pays more than $500 per month per customer site for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance.(2)
Funds collected by an electric company or Oregon Community Power under this section must be:(a)
Paid into the Housing and Community Services Department Low-Income Electric Bill Payment Assistance Fund established by ORS 456.587 (Electricity Public Purpose Charge Fund) (2);(b)
Used by the Housing and Community Services Department solely for purposes related to low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance and for the Housing and Community Services Department’s cost of administering this section; and(c)
Expended in the service area of the electric company or Oregon Community Power from which the funds are collected.(3)
The Housing and Community Services Department shall determine the manner in which funds collected under this section are allocated by the department to energy assistance program providers for the purpose of providing low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance. However, the department shall:(a)
In consultation with electric companies, investigate and may implement alternative delivery models to effectively reduce service disconnections and related costs to customers and electric companies; and(b)
Direct priority assistance to low-income customers who are in danger of having their electricity service disconnected.(4)
The department shall maintain records and provide those records upon request to an electric company, Oregon Community Power and the Citizens’ Utility Board established under ORS chapter 774 on a quarterly basis. Records maintained must include the numbers of low-income customers served, the average amounts paid and the type of assistance provided. Electric companies and Oregon Community Power shall, if requested, provide the department with aggregate data relating to low-income customers served on a quarterly basis to support program development.(5)
Interest on moneys deposited in the Housing and Community Services Department Low-Income Electric Bill Payment Assistance Fund established by ORS 456.587 (Electricity Public Purpose Charge Fund) (2) may be used to provide bill payment and crisis assistance to customers whose primary source of heat is not electricity.(6)
Notwithstanding ORS 757.310 (Prohibition related to charges for service), the commission may allow an electric company or Oregon Community Power to provide reduced rates or other bill payment or crisis assistance or low-income program assistance to a low-income household eligible for assistance under the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, as amended and in effect on July 23, 1999. [2021 c.536 §2 and 2021 c.547 §15 as amended by 2021 c.536 §2a](2)
Notwithstanding section 2 (1) of this 2021 Act, the rates established by the commission for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance may not be less than the rates in effect on the effective date of this 2021 Act [January 1, 2022].(3)
Notwithstanding section 2 (3) of this 2021 Act, for purposes of the additional amounts collected pursuant to this section, the Housing and Community Services Department shall:(a)
Ensure that the additional amounts collected respond to and are delivered to customers of electric companies who have lost income due to circumstances arising from the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); and(b)
Design delivery of the additional amounts in alignment with existing energy assistance programs but broaden income eligibility and benefit levels such that:(A)
Income eligibility is expanded to households at or below 80 percent of area median income;(B)
Standard household benefit levels may be increased to account for utility arrearages directly related to employment, income or health effects of SARS-CoV-2; and(C)
Persons already enrolled in or receiving state-administered, low-income assistance from programs determined by the department, including but not limited to through the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.), are automatically eligible for low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance. [2021 c.536 §3]
Source:
Section 757.698 — Low-income electric bill payment and crisis assistance, https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors757.html.
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