1. A. A customer eligible for participation in the Utility Service Protection Program who is not receiving utility service shall have his utility service reconnected for the purpose of participation in the Utility Service Protection Program, provided that the customer:

   1. (1) Is certified eligible for MEAP assistance;
   2. (2) Complies with the application procedures in Regulation .05; and
   3. (3) Makes the designated payment for outstanding arrearages as described in §B.

2. B. Amount of Payment.

   1. (1) A customer participating in the Utility Service Protection Program shall pay an amount sufficient to reduce the outstanding arrearage to $400.

   2. (2) A customer who has previously participated in and has been removed from the Utility Service Protection Program shall pay the greater of:

      1. (a) An amount sufficient to reduce outstanding arrearage to $400; or
      2. (b) The amount covering the monthly installments in arrears in the customer's equal monthly payment account and supplemental payment account at the date of reconnection.

3. C. Application of MEAP Benefits to Arrearages.

   1. (1) Applicants for the USPP program may elect to apply all or part of the MEAP benefit to past arrearages to qualify for participation in the USPP after all other emergency funds, public and private, for which the client is eligible have been used.
   2. (2) In the case of an election in §C(1), the equal monthly payment shall be based on estimated annual consumption less any remaining MEAP benefits.
4. D. A reconnection fee or additional security deposit may not be charged to customers eligible for reconnection under §A.

Authority: Public Utilities Article, §§2-113, 2-121, 5-101, and 7-307, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: October 22, 1984 (11:21 Md. R. 1816)

Regulation .01B amended effective August 25, 1986 (13:17 Md. R. 1924); September 20, 1987 (14:19 Md. R. 2060)

Regulation .03B, C amended effective August 25, 1986 (13:17 Md. R. 1924); September 20, 1987 (14:19 Md. R. 2060)

Regulation .05 amended effective August 25, 1986 (13:17 Md. R. 1924)

Regulation .05F amended effective September 20, 1987 (14:19 Md. R. 2060)

Regulation .06C amended effective October 6, 1986 (13:20 Md. R. 2213); September 20, 1987 (14:19 Md. R. 2060)

Regulation .06D amended effective September 20, 1987 (14:19 Md. R. 2060)

Regulation .08 amended effective August 25, 1986 (13:17 Md. R. 1924); September 20, 1987 (14:19 Md. R. 2060)

Regulation .09C amended effective September 20, 1987 (14:19 Md. R. 2060)

Regulations .01—.10, Winter Heating Protection Program, repealed effective November 14, 1988 (15:23 Md. R. 2661)

Regulations .01—.10, Utility Service Protection Program, adopted effective November 14, 1988 (15:23 Md. R. 2661)

Regulation .01B amended effective August 23, 2021 (48:17 Md. R. 669)

Regulation .05D amended effective August 23, 2021 (48:17 Md. R. 669)

Regulation .05F amended effective December 24, 1990 (17:25 Md. R. 2909); June 17, 1996 (23:12 Md. R. 873)

Regulation .07E repealed effective August 23, 2021 (48:17 Md. R. 669)

Regulation .08B, C amended effective August 23, 2021 (48:17 Md. R. 669)

Regulation .09 amended effective August 23, 2021 (48:17 Md. R. 669)