H. B. 2478
(By Delegates Kominar and Stalnaker)
[Introduced January 24, 2007; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new article, designated §24-2F-1, relating to
rates and charges assessed by electric and natural gas
utilities; providing for the assessment of rate surcharges by
electric and natural gas utilities to allow the utilities to
recoup expenses associated with uncollectible accounts; and
requiring the Public Service Commission to promulgate related
rules.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new article, designated §24-2F-1, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 2F. RECOUPMENT OF UNCOLLECTIBLE ACCOUNTS.
§24-2F-1. Rules for surcharge to cover cost of uncollectible accounts in the same customer classification.
No later than the first day of October, two thousand seven,
the commission shall promulgate rules to allow electric and gas
utilities, after undertaking reasonable collection efforts, to
collect the cost of ordinary uncollectible accounts as a surcharge
over the rates charged other customers in the same customer
classification under which the defaulting customer received
service, and to adjust such surcharges no less frequently than
annually.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Public
Service Commission of West Virginia to promulgate rules which would
provide for the assessment of surcharges to cover electric or gas
utilities expenses associated with uncollectible accounts.
This article is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.