Terms used in chapters 20:10:15 to 20:10:20, inclusive, mean:

1. (1) "Advance payment," any payment made upon application for service which is applied toward the first gas or electric bill;
2. (2) "Applicant," one who is applying for gas or electric service;
3. (3) "Billing transmittal date," the date upon which a utility mails a bill;
4. (4) "Class of service," refers to groups of customers with similar characteristics (e.g. residential, commercial, industrial) which are identified for the purpose of setting a rate for electric or gas service;
5. (5) "Commission," the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission;
6. (6) "Deposit," a payment an applicant makes to a utility upon application for or during service which is held by the utility until the customer establishes satisfactory credit or ends service;
7. (7) "Disconnection," the termination of gas or electric service;
8. (8) "Due date," the date no less than 20 days after the billing transmittal date by which a bill should be paid and the date before which no disconnection notice may be sent;
9. (9) "Early payments list," a list containing the names of customers who have not established satisfactory credit with a utility which is used in lieu of a deposit. Customers on such a list generally must pay their bills in a shorter period of time than customers who have established satisfactory credit;
10. (10) "Energy usage," the consumption of any product used to create light, heat or power which is purchased from a utility;
11. (11) "Fuel adjustment clause," the vehicle by which a utility may automatically increase or decrease its rates to reflect increases or decreases from the base cost of fuel;
12. (12) "Household," a family or a group of people who live together;
13. (13) "Indebted household," a group of people living together among whom there is one who is indebted to a gas or electric utility for service provided previously to the residence for which service is now sought;
14. (14) "Power adjustment clause," the vehicle by which a utility may automatically increase or decrease its rates to reflect increases or decreases from the base cost of power;
15. (15) "Refusal," the act of refusing to provide gas or electric service to an applicant;
16. (16) "Residential," a customer receiving nonbusiness services from a utility including persons receiving service for the producing operations of a farm or ranch;
17. (17) "Tax adjustment clause," the vehicle by which a utility may automatically increase or decrease its rates to reflect increases or decreases from its base tax rates;
18. (18) "Utility," a company providing gas or electric service to persons in South Dakota;
19. (19) "Utility tariff," a published schedule of rates and charges for services and equipment including associated rules and regulations which is issued by a utility and filed with the commission;
20. (20) "KWH," kilowatt hours;
21. (21) "MCF," 1,000 cubic feet;
22. (22) "Therm," 100,000 British thermal units;
23. (23) "CCF," 100 cubic feet.

Source: 3 SDR 2, effective July 19, 1976; 12 SDR 86, effective November 24, 1985; 12 SDR 151, 12 SDR 155, effective July 1, 1986.

General Authority: SDCL 49-34A-4.

Law Implemented: SDCL 49-34A-3 , 49-34A-4 , 49-34A-27.