Electric utilities; disconnection reports, State Corporation Commission database, annual summary.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
56-249.01
, relating to electric utilities; disconnection reports; State Corporation Commission database; annual summary.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
56-249.01
as follows:
§
56-249.01
. Disconnection reports by electric utilities; Commission database; annual summary.
A. As used in this section, "electric utility" means an investor-owned electric utility or electric cooperative formed under Article 1 of Chapter 9.1 (§
56-231.15
et seq.).
B. Each electric utility operating in the Commonwealth shall provide a monthly report on residential account disconnections to the Commission. Such report shall include the following information with totals based on the last day of the month:
1. The total number of residential accounts served by the electric utility;
2. The total number and percentage of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment;
3. The number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment within each 5-digit ZIP code, unless the utility is exempted by the Commission from providing such information in the report to protect customer privacy;
4. The number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment that were reconnected to service (i) within less than 24 hours, (ii) in 24 hours or more but less than 48 hours, (iii) in 48 hours or more but less than 72 hours, or (iv) in 72 hours or more from the time of disconnection;
5. The average and total amounts of arrearages owed by residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment;
6. The number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment that have arrearage amounts of (i) less than $100, (ii) $100 or more but less than $500, (iii) $500 or more but less than $1000, and (iv) $1,000 or more;
7. The number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment that participate in a payment assistance program, including utility-funded programs, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or the Percentage of Income Payment Program;
8. The number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment that have a serious medical condition certification form on file with the electric utility;
9. The total number of residential accounts that have arrearage amounts but are not disconnected; and
10. The average and total amounts of arrearages owed by residential accounts that have arrearage amounts but are not disconnected.
C. The monthly report required to be submitted by an electric utility under subsection B shall be filed with the Commission within 60 days following the close of the reference month.
D. The Commission shall publish the information submitted pursuant to subsection B in a comprehensive and easily accessible online database with the information displayed separately for each electric utility.
E. The Commission may promulgate new regulations or updates to existing regulations related to the monthly report required to be submitted by an electric utility under subsection B, including by prescribing the form and manner of submission and any processes needed to facilitate uniform monthly reporting of the information outlined in subsection B.
F. No later than September 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit an executive summary to the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation and the Governor on trends in electric utility disconnections based on information from reports submitted pursuant to this section. The executive summary shall include the following information:
1. Any seasonal, annual, or long-term changes in the number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected from service due to nonpayment;
2. Any notable differences between electric utilities and their disconnection rates;
3. The geographic locations of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected from service due to nonpayment;
4. The average length of time between disconnection and reconnection for residential accounts involuntarily disconnected from service due to nonpayment;
5. The average and total amounts of arrearages owed by residential accounts involuntarily disconnected from service due to nonpayment;
6. The average and total amounts of arrearages owed by residential accounts that are not disconnected from service;
7. The number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected from service due to nonpayment that are participating in payment assistance programs, as known to the utility;
8. The number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected from service due to nonpayment that have a serious medical condition certification form on file with the electric utility;
9. Any narrative submitted by each electric utility to the Commission by no later than August 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, that contextualizes trends in the data included in such utility's reports submitted pursuant to this section; and
10. Any other information that the Commission deems relevant to assessing electric utility disconnections for residential accounts in the Commonwealth.
2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective on July 1, 2027.