Rhode Island General Laws Title 39. Public Utilities and Carriers § 39-1-27.12. Low-Income Home-Energy Assistance Program Enhancement Plan

(a) The Low-Income Home-Energy Assistance Program Enhancement Plan (hereinafter “LIHEAP Enhancement Plan”) is hereby created to supplement the federal Low-Income Home-Energy Assistance Program (“LIHEAP”) funding being received by customers of Rhode Island electric- and gas-distribution companies.

(b) Within a period of time sufficient to accomplish the purposes of this section, but not longer than ninety (90) days after the effective date of this chapter, the department of human services shall develop a recommended monthly “LIHEAP enhancement charge” rate for the following year and make a filing with the commission pursuant to this chapter recommending rates. Thereafter annually, but no later than October 15 of each year, the department shall make filings with the commission to recommend the LIHEAP enhancement charge rates for each class of electric- and natural-gas distribution company customer for the following year.

(c) A LIHEAP enhancement charge approved by the commission shall have the following limitations:

(d) The commission shall open a docket, to consider for approval, LIHEAP enhancement charge rates proposed by the department. In reviewing the recommended rates, the commission shall give due consideration to the recommendations of the department and the standards set forth in subsection (c). The commission shall issue a decision within sixty (60) days after said recommendations and report are filed with the commission establishing the enhancement plan charge rates.

(e) The electric- or gas-distribution company shall use the funds collected through this enhancement plan charge to provide a credit to customers' accounts that are receiving federal LIHEAP assistance payments in a manner determined by the department of human services. The department of human services shall designate to the gas- or electric-distribution company the qualifying customer accounts and the amounts to be credited to those customer accounts, provided that the total amount to be credited to those accounts shall be fully funded by, and not exceed, the total amount collected through the enhancement plan charge. The electric- or gas-distribution company's added administrative expenses to process the credit assignments provided to it by the department of human services will be recoverable either from the LIHEAP enhancement charge or through a separate charge approved by the public utilities commission.

(f) As used in this section, “ electric- and natural-gas-distribution company” means a company as defined in subsection 39-1-2(a)(12), but not including the Block Island Power Company or the Pascoag Utility District.