326 DECISIONS AND APPEALS

326.1 Within fourteen (14) days after the close of the hearing, the hearing officer shall issue a written decision which states the issues, summarizes the evidence and makes findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a proposed disposition of the matter.326.2 In cases involving billing disputes in which the hearing officer has concluded that all or part of the amount in dispute is owed, the hearing officer may, for good cause stated in the decision, direct that the amount found outstanding be paid in installments.326.3 Copies of the hearing officer's decision shall be served upon the parties either personally or by regular mail on the day the decision is issued together with instructions on how to appeal the decision to the Commission and indicating the last date the appeal may be filed.326.4 The decision of the hearing officer shall be final, if there is no appeal to the Commission within the time specified.326.5 Any party may appeal the hearing officer's decision to the Commission within ten (10) days of personal service and twelve (12) days of service by mail of the decision.326.6 The appeal shall be signed by the party, identify the decision appealed from, and specify the grounds on which it is based.326.7 The Executive Secretary shall serve a copy of any appeal filed upon the opposing party on the day it is filed. Service may be made personally or by first class mail.326.8 The opposing party response or counter-appeal shall be filed within five (5) days of personal service and seven (7) days of service by mail.326.9 Within six (6) days of the filing an appeal, the record shall be prepared for review by the members of the Commission.326.10 The Commission shall review and rule on the the decision within thirty (30) days after the record is prepared.326.11 Upon review of the record, and after giving consideration to the matters raised on appeal, the Commission shall do the following:- (a) Adopt the decision of the hearing officer;

- (b) Issue a Commission decision;

- (c) Return the matter to the hearing officer for further proceedings; or

- (d) Schedule the matter for hearing or argument before the Commission.326.12 Review of a final Commission decision shall be pursuant to D.C. Code §43-904, 43-905 (1981 Ed.).326.13 A utility shall not disclose information which reveals the status of the account of any individual customer without the customer's consent or upon dictate of lawful authority. A utility may rely upon the representation, oral or written, of Commission or People's Counsel staff that consent has been granted.326.14 Every utility shall make available for inspection by the staff of the Public Service Commission

detailed information concerning the following:

(a) The payment performance of its customers in relation to established due and payable periods;

(b) The number and general description of all complaints registered with the utility;

(c) The number of involuntary termination notices issued by the utility and the reasons therefor;

(d) The number of written deferred payment agreements entered into by the utility and a synopsis of the terms, conditions and standards upon which the deferred payment agreements were entered into; and

(e) The actual number of involuntary terminations of service and the number of reconnections.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 25 DCR 10381, 10411 (June 1, 1979); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 32 DCR 7497 (December 20, 1985),