Rules & Regulations

Scope

Policy 301 - Rules and Regulations is a part of all contracts for receiving electric service from North East Mississippi Electric Power Association (NEMEPA) and applies to all service received from NEMEPA, whether the service is based upon contract, agreement, signed application, or otherwise. A copy of this Policy 301 - Rules and Regulations together with a copy of the NEMEPA Schedule of Rates and Charges, which was approved by NEMEPA Board of Directors, shall be kept open to inspection at the offices of NEMEPA located at 1389 Cooperative Way. Oxford Mississippi, 38655, or found on our website - www.NEMEPA.org. Furthermore, NEMEPA will provide information regarding rates, service practice policies, and guidelines to customers via the website - www.NEMEPA.org and information including brochures and print media will also be available in our offices. A customer will also receive such information upon application for electrical service, and at any time upon request. All retail rate actions initiated by NEMEPA will be communicated to the public via the website - www.NEMEPA.org and through notice in the Electric Power Associations of Mississippi’s statewide magazine, Today in Mississippi..

Application/Contract for Service

Each prospective Member/Consumer desiring electric service shall sign Association’s standard form of Application and Contract for service and shall pay the standard membership fee, and other such fees and deposits as may be required by Association before service is supplied by the Association. Prospective Members/Consumers must be at least 18 years of age. A valid Social Security number, passport and/or U.S. government issued photo identification is required. Copies of all identification provided by the prospective Member/Consumer may be kept by the Association.

Refusal of Service – The Association reserves the right to refuse service to any prospective Member/Consumer or existing Member/Consumer when the service requested is of the type or character which the Association does not have readily available, or if the Applicant or Member/Consumer has not complied with the Wiring Standards set forth in Rules 3 and 4, or if, in the Association’s opinion, the Association does not have adequate facilities to render the service desired, or if, in the Association’s opinion the characteristics of the use of the service desired may be such as to affect unfavorably the service to other Members/Consumers, or if, in the Association’s opinion, a hazardous condition exists on the premises to be served. The Association may refuse to serve any prospective Member/Consumer or existing Member/Consumer, who is indebted to the Association for previous electric service.

Memberships & Deposit

A membership fee shall be collected from all members.

Deposit policies will be applied fairly without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, genetic information, handicap or marital status.

North East Mississippi Electric Power Association’s deposit policy is designed to assess the credit risk associated with all applications for new or continued service, while protecting the assets of our membership. It is also important to note that most of our customers will be charged a minimal deposit, because they pose little credit risk. Likewise, those customers who have not established credit or pose substantial credit risk should bear the financial risk of providing service to them mitigated through a credit-based deposit policy. This shifts the financial burden they may pose off of our best-paying customers onto those who, in fact, pose a risk. This policy is based upon the use of a screening tool called the ONLINE Utility Exchange to assess credit risk at the point of application and charge higher deposits to those potential members and existing members who pose credit risk. This process assigns the color green to No Risk, yellow to Minimum Risk and red to High Risk.

North East Mississippi Electric Power Association cannot demand that an applicant provide their Social Security Number or Federal Employer Identification Number as a requirement for service. However, it is our policy that applicants who refuse to provide their Social Security Number or Federal Employer Identification Number pose a greater risk and shall be charged the maximum deposit.

A Member/Consumer transferring from one location to another may, upon request or at the discretion of the Association, have their deposit re-evaluated.

Members/Consumers reestablishing membership within a  twelve month period with a history of prompt payment, will be presumed to have the same deposit risk unless the Member/Consumer requests the deposit be reevaluated.

Persons with extreme hardship may pay the deposit in installments not to exceed 120 days.

Deposit balance including earned interest is subject to review upon written request of the Member/Consumer or at the discretion of NEMEPA. The review will be based on the most recent twelve month period of payment history.  This process may involve a new credit report for which the Member/Consumer will be expected to pay.

All deposits held longer than twelve months shall earn interest at the average passbook savings account rate of local banks, adjusted annually. The deposit and earned interest will be credited to the account upon termination of service or upon refund of the deposit. No deposits will be held without an active account. After sufficient time for all payments to be processed, refunds will be mailed to the address on the account. The Member/Consumer is responsible for providing the Association with the correct forwarding address.

Members/Consumers who have been disconnected more than twice in a twelve month period will have their deposit increased to the High Risk or Minimum Risk amount. The increase may be paid in installments not to exceed 120 days.

Residential Service Applicants

This applies to deposits for locations that qualify for a residential electric rate established by TVA Guidelines or ancillary services.

• No Risk – New service applicants who pose no credit risk will be charged a deposit of $0.00
• Minimum Risk – New Service applicants who pose minimal risk will be charged a deposit of $200.
• High Risk – New Service applicants who pose substantial credit risk will be charged a deposit of $400.

At no time will a residential deposit exceed two times the highest monthly usage of the class average.

An existing Member/Consumer requesting a temporary/construction service to build a new primary residence to which they will transfer and have demonstrated a history of prompt payment, will not be required to make an additional deposit. An older home that needs renovation will qualify.

An existing Member/Consumer may have additional residential locations temporarily connected for a maximum of 2 weeks without requiring another deposit. Any unpaid balances shall be transferred to the active account.

Once a Member/Consumer exceeds five residential locations, they will no longer be eligible for no risk deposit under this section.

Ancillary services are electric service locations needing an additional meter intended to provide necessary support to the primary residence at the location. Example: water well, wastewater plants, entrance gates, etc.

Commercial Service Applicants

This applies to deposits for locations that do not qualify for a residential electric rate established by TVA guidelines.

• Minimum Risk-Commercial applicants who display an IntelliScore of 80 to 100 shall pay a deposit of one times highest monthly usage of the service address during the prior 12 months.
• Moderate Risk-Commercial applicants who display an IntelliScore of 79 or lower shall pay a deposit of two times the highest monthly usage of the service address during the prior 12 months.

Commercial applicant’s deposit will be determined in the following manner:

A  Sole proprietorships will have an ONLINE Utility Exchange report pulled on the sole proprietor and charged the corresponding deposit.

1. Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies (LLC) and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP) that are less than one year old will have an ONLINE Utility Exchange Report pulled on the managing partner or managing director, as appropriate, and the corresponding deposit will be charged. If the entity is over one year old, an IntelliScore Report will be pulled and a deposit charged as described above.
2. Commercial applicants who are corporations, regardless of whether they are Subchapter S or full “C” Corporations, or any corporation that has a corporate headquarters outside of our service area (foreign corporation), shall have their credit risk based upon the ONLINE Utility Exchange’s Business Profile Report and IntelliScore Report.

Point of Delivery

The point of delivery is the point, as designated by the Association, where current is to be delivered to a Member’s/Consumer’s building or premises. All wiring and equipment beyond this point of delivery shall be provided and maintained by the Member/Consumer at no expense to the Association.

Member’s/Consumer’s Wiring Standards

The Member/Consumer, in accordance with the NEC and all other applicable codes and ordinances shall bear sole responsibility to ensure that its wiring conforms to all current National Electric Code, Service Regulations of the Association, and all other current codes or local ordinances or standards.

Inspections

Association shall have the right, but shall not be obligated, to inspect any installation before electricity is supplied or at any later time, and reserves the right to reject any wiring not in accordance with rules 3 and 4 above. Such inspection or failure to inspect or reject shall not render Association liable or responsible for any loss or damage resulting from defects in the installation or wiring, or from violation of Association’s rules, or from accidents which may occur upon the Member’s/Consumer’s premises. All Members/Consumers located inside an incorporated municipality that requires inspections shall be required to have a certificate of inspection before service is connected.

Underground Service Lines

Member/Consumer desiring underground service from the Association’s overhead system must bear the excess cost incident thereto.  Specifications and terms for such construction will be furnished by the Association on request. NEMEPA shall have no responsibility for damage to the property of the Member/Consumer or others following any installation or maintenance work on underground service lines.  (For additional information refer to Underground Distribution policy 410.)

Member’s/Consumer’s Responsibility for the Association’s Property

All meters, service connections, and other equipment furnished by NEMEPA shall be, and remain, the property of NEMEPA. As part of the consideration for service, each Member/Consumer shall be NEMEPA’s bailee of such facilities and shall accordingly desist from interfering with, impairing the operation of, or causing damage to such facilities.  Member/Consumer shall control new and existing trees and shrubbery and placement of obstructions so as to prevent interference with utility lines and other NEMEPA facilities.   In the event such facilities are interfered with, NEMEPA reserves the right to trim or remove said obstructions.  Further, in the event such facilities are interfered with, impaired in their operation or damaged by the Member/Consumer, or by any other person when the Member’s/Consumer’s reasonable care and surveillance could have prevented such, the Member/Consumer shall indemnify NEMEPA or any other person against death, injury, loss or damage resulting therefrom, including but not limited to NEMEPA’s cost of repairing, replacing or relocating any such facilities. In the event such facilities are entered into, or tampered with in such a manner as to allow any service to be illegally consumed or the measurement of that usage to be impaired, a temporary charge will be assessed to the Member/Consumer of record and/or the occupant of the property where such tampering occurred, and in addition, such Member/Consumer of record and/or occupant shall indemnify NEMEPA for its estimated loss of revenue, if any, resulting therefrom.

Right of Access

The Association’s employees shall have access to the Member’s/Consumer’s premises during all times for emergencies, or at all reasonable times for the purpose of reading meters, testing, repairing, removing, exchanging any or all equipment belonging to the Association or any other repairs or maintenance. NEMEPA may, at its discretion, utilize or upgrade existing facilities on customer’s property for the additional purpose of serving other properties.

Billing

Bills will be processed monthly and will be mailed to the Member’s/Consumer’s latest address filed with the Association. Failure to receive a bill will not release a customer from its payment obligations. The Association will have a standard net payment period for residential Members/Consumers of not less than fifteen (15) days, and for all other classes of service not less than ten (10) days, after the billing date.  Any portion of the bill not received in the office of the Association by the start of the next business day following the discount date, shall be subject to an additional charge of 5%. Should bills not be paid by the discount date specified on the bill, service may be discontinued as set out in the “Discontinuance of Service” section herein. Should the discount date of the bill fall on a weekend or holiday recognized by NEMEPA, the next business day following the discount date will become the discount date.

Bills will be rendered monthly and divided into six (6) meter reading dates and six (6) discount dates as follows:

Levelized Billing

uses a rolling twelve month average of electric usage to calculate the bill. Each month a new average is calculated using the previous eleven month’s usage along with the current month.  Although the bill amount changes each month, the change is small and helps reduce the impact from drastic weather changes.  Customers still see their usage on the bill each month, but only pay the average amount.  The only time the account will have to be reconciled is when it is disconnected or removed from the program.

Members must have a minimum of 12 months payment history to qualify for levelized billing.  The account must have a zero balance at the time levelized billing begins.  Any time the levelized amount is not paid in full before the due date, the account will automatically be removed from the program.  There is no charge to have levelized billing turned on.

PLEASE NOTE:  Levelized Billing is only available to Residential Customers.

Coordinated Billing - To assist our Members on monthly fixed incomes in paying their electric bill promptly, this program allows qualifying Residential Members/Consumers to choose the 5^th or the 20^th due date for their electric bills.

To qualify for participation in the Coordinated Billing Program:

1. Your monthly income check must be from a Federal, State, County, or City Government.
2. Your electric bill must be in your name.
3. Your electric bill must be paid in full prior to requesting the coordinated billing program.

In the event a billing error by the Association results in a member being undercharged for the actual amount of electricity provided to the Member/Consumer by the Association, then upon discovery of the error, the Association will issue a supplemental billing reflecting the corrected amount owed by the Member/Consumer; and the Member/Consumer shall remit payment to the Association for such supplemental billing. The Association may make arrangements for the payment of such supplemental billings on an installment basis, subject to such terms and conditions as may be approved by the Association’s Board of Directors.

Upon request by the customer, NEMEPA will make available a customer’s energy consumption data for the prior 12 months’ period.

Administrative Hearing Procedure for Challenge of Billing: The Manager of the Association is authorized to conduct hearings to determine the action to be taken on delinquent accounts or bill challenges.  The Manager, at his discretion, may appoint other personnel to hold these meetings.  The persons appointed to hold these hearings may grant deferments or additional time for payment of delinquent bills.  The hearing employee shall take into account the following:  (1) Reasons for non-payment; (2) Member’s/Consumer’s payment history; (3) Length of time requested to pay bill; and (4) Size of delinquent bill.  The Member/Consumer may appeal any decision to the Manager and Board of Directors for final disposition.  Members/Consumers that challenge the accuracy of a bill will be required to pay the disputed amount to avoid disconnections. If a determination is made that an error occurred, the Member’s/Consumer’s account will be credited the amount of the error.

TVA Dispute Resolution Process:  In the case of billing disputes or other service issues, the customer is expected to resolve the dispute by notifying and working with the Distributor. If the dispute is not resolved, the Distributor will provide the customer with information regarding TVA’s Complaint Resolution Process. Customers will be informed about the availability of the TVA Complaint Resolution Process upon application for service, at any time upon request, and through information provided on the Distributor’s website or other technological means of communication, if available.