Order No. 1, Docket No. 20-012-A, In the Matter of Administrative Orders Relating to the COVID-19 State of Emergency

The record

Jurisdiction

Arkansas (State public utility commission) · Arkansas

Level

Sector regulator

Authority

Ark. Code Ann. 23-2-301; EO 20-03; EO 20-06 (recited)

Issued

2020-04-10 Apr. 10, 2020

Effective

2020-04-10 (filed April 10, 2020, 11:40 a.m.) (read as 2020-04-10)

End

By its terms, 'during the pendency of the Governor's emergency declaration, or until this directive is rescinded by the Commission'. (read as 2021-05-30)

In force

Apr. 10, 2020 to May 30, 2021

Quarters

2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q4

2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3

Limitation types

Other

Addressees

• all Commission-jurisdictional electric public utilities (Entergy Arkansas, OG&E, SWEPCO, Empire District and 18 named electric cooperatives)
• gas utilities (Arkansas Oklahoma Gas, Black Hills Energy Arkansas, CenterPoint Energy Resources, Logan Township Gas Users Association)
• water utilities (Liberty Utilities (Pine Bluff Water))

Functions reached

• OP collections and disconnection operations of every jurisdictional electric, gas and water utility suspended
• SV reconnection of previously disconnected customers required without tariff conditions
• OF new quarterly cost-reporting obligation from July 1, 2020
• CB customer base (bills continue to accrue; payment arrangements encouraged when the prohibition lifts)

Collection

State utilities, housing and agriculture agencies AGY-ST-UTILITIES-HOUSING-AG

Operative words

2. If they have not done so already, all Commission-jurisdictional electric, gas, and water public utilities (Utilities) in the State of Arkansas shall suspend disconnections of water, gas, and electricity services during the pendency of the Governor's emergency declaration, or until this directive is rescinded by the Commission. The Commission also suspends, pending further orders, any and all rules and provisions of individual Utility tariffs on file that prevent or condition re-connection of disconnected customers.... 5. Utilities shall be required to offset costs by any cost savings directly attributable to the suspension of disconnections or other activities during the emergency declaration. Utilities should track all costs related to the implementation of these emergency measures. 6. All Utilities shall file a quarterly report on the amounts of the costs incurred and saved which have been booked to the regulatory assets beginning on July 1, 2020, and every three months thereafter.... 8. This Order shall not affect a Utility's ability to disconnect a customer's service for public safety concerns unrelated to non-payment of services. 9. This Order does not eliminate the requirement that Utility customers continue to pay Utility bills during this temporary suspension.

Enforcement

Notes