CHAPTER 51: ELECTRICITY
Section
   51.01   Application for service
   51.02   Penalty for late payment
   51.03   Disconnection for non-payment
   51.04   Prescribing rules for owners
§ 51.01 APPLICATION FOR SERVICE.
   (A)   Procedure. Application for electrical service installation and for electrical service shall be made to the Public Utilities Commission on forms prescribed by the Public Utility Commission and furnished by the city. Every person applying for electricity from the municipal electrical system, and every owner of property for which the application is made, shall be deemed by the application to consent to all ordinances, rules and regulations of the city relating to the municipal electrical system.
   (B)   Accounts in name of owners. All accounts shall be carried in the name of the owner who personally, or by his or her authorized agent, shall apply for the service. The owner shall be liable for electricity supplied to his or her property, whether he or she is occupying the property or not.
   (C)   Security deposit. At the time of filing for an application for electrical service, any applicant, other than the fee title owner of the property to be served unless the fee title owner has previously been disconnected for non-payment of bills, shall deposit a sum of money as set out in the Fee Schedule in § 33.01 of this code of ordinances. The deposit shall be refunded after 12 consecutive months of prompt payment of bills without have a late penalty added or upon prior termination of service with all bills paid. Deposits shall bear interest at the rate of 6% form the date of deposit to the date of refund. If the customer is delinquent in his or her electric account, his or her deposit shall be applied on the delinquent account and an additional deposit shall be required to bring the deposit up to the amount originally required.
(Ord. 211, passed 9-20-1982)
§ 51.02 PENALTY FOR LATE PAYMENT.
   Bills for total electrical charges shall be mailed out on the last working day of the month. The amount listed on the statement shall be due on or before the fifteenth day of the following month. If payment is not made by that date, a late payment penalty of 5% shall be added to the amount due.
(Ord. 211, passed 9-20-1982)
§ 51.03 DISCONNECTION FOR NON-PAYMENT.
   (A)   Reconnection. The city shall endeavor to collect delinquent accounts promptly. In any case, if satisfactory arrangements for payment have not been made, the Public Utility Commission may, after the procedural requirements of division (B) below have been complied with, discontinue service to the delinquent customer shutting off electrical service. When electrical service to any premises has been discontinued, service shall not be restored, except upon payment of all current and delinquent amounts due, together with a fee for reconnection in the amount set out in the Fee Schedule in § 33.01 of this code of ordinances.
   (B)   Procedure. Electricity shall not be shut off under division (A) above until notice or an opportunity for hearing have first been given the occupant of the premises involved. The notice shall be personally served and shall state that if payment is not made before a date stated in the notice, but not less than ten days after the date on which the notice is given, the electrical supply to the premises will be shut off. The notice shall also state that the occupant may, before the date demand a hearing on the matter, in which case the electrical supply will not be cut off until after the hearing is held. If the customer requests a hearing before the date specified, a hearing shall be held on the matter by the Superintendent of the Public Utilities Commission, at least one week after the date on which the request is made. If, as a result of the hearing, the Superintendent of the Public Commission finds that the amount claimed to be owing is actually due and unpaid, and there is no legal reason why the electrical supply to the delinquent customer may not be shut off in accordance with this chapter. The Public Utilities Commission may shut off the supply.
(Ord. 211, passed 9-20-1982)
§ 51.04 PRESCRIBING RULES FOR OWNERS.
   The Public Utilities Commission is further empowered to make such reasonable rules, regulations and rates as it may require consistent with this chapter and in furtherance of the operation of the city’s electrical system.
(Ord. 211, passed 9-20-1982)