1. (a) Metered service.

   1. (1) A correction to a customer’s account shall be made for meter error when:

      1. (A) A utility tests a meter according to the Arkansas Public Service Commission’s Special Rules; and
      2. (B) The error exceeds the tolerances allowed by the Arkansas Public Service Commission’s Special Rules.

   2. (2) Period of correction.

      1. (A) If the date the meter first became inaccurate can be ascertained, the period of correction shall:

2. (i) Begin with that date; and

   1. (ii) End with the date the inaccurate meter was removed.

      1. (B) If the date the meter first became inaccurate cannot be ascertained, the correction period shall:

         1. (i) Begin six (6) months prior to the date the inaccurate meter was removed; and
         2. (ii) End with the date of removal of the meter.

   2. (3) Usage.

      1. (A) If actual usage cannot be determined, it shall be the customer’s usage at that location for the same time period of the previous year.
      2. (B) A utility may apply a weather-sensitive factor to the consumption in arriving at the estimated usage for the correction period.
      3. (C) If no usage data is available for that customer at that location for the previous year, a utility shall use the class average to estimate consumption.
   3. (4) Rate. A utility shall apply the rates effective during the period of correction determined in subdivision (a)(2) of this section to the usage determined in subdivision (a)(3) of this section.

3. (b) Procedures for correcting an overbilling.

   1. (1) When a utility has overbilled a customer, the utility shall explain the reason for the correction and refund the amount of the overbilling within thirty (30) days after discovering or being notified of the error.
   2. (2) The refund shall be credited to the customer’s account unless the customer requests otherwise.

   3. (3) If the overbilling was the fault of the utility, the utility shall pay the customer interest on the overbilled amount.

      1. (c) Procedures for correcting an underbilling.
   4. (1) When a utility discovers it has charged a customer less than it should have, the utility shall explain the error and offer a delayed payment agreement to correct it.
   5. (2) When a utility underbills a customer over one (1) or more billing periods, the utility must allow the customer at least that many billing periods to pay the correct amount under a delayed payment agreement.
   6. (3) If the underbilling was the fault of the customer, the utility may charge interest for the period of time during which the underbilling occurred.
   7. (4) If the underbilling was caused by unauthorized use of service or tampering with utility equipment, the utility does not have to offer a delayed payment agreement.

   8. (5) A utility does not have to correct an underbilling if the cost of correcting the billing is not economically feasible.

      1. (d) Tampering.
   9. (1) If a customer tampers with utility equipment, the utility may charge a reasonable amount for damage to the equipment and for estimated service taken.
   10. (2) This is in addition to the remedies in 23 CAR § 455-401(b)(3), 23 CAR § 455-402(b)(2)(A), and 23 CAR § 455-601(6).
   11. (3) The utility may base the estimate on the customer’s average lawful usage for the most recent twelve-month period.
   12. (4) If those figures are not available, the utility shall base the estimate on the class average.

Codification Notes: This section was promulgated as Rule 5.19 of the General Service Rules prior to codification in the Code of Arkansas Rules.