1. Amendments to the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers Atty. Maria Corazon C. Gines 17 February 2011

2. Definition of Terms
Retirement of electric service shall mean the removal of all facilities necessary for the provision of electric service, such as, but not limited to service drop wire, meter base, Watt-meter and other accessories of the service entrance and metering facilities.
Termination of electric service contract shall mean the cancellation, for reasons enumerated in Article 37, of the electric service contract whereby the distribution utility and the registered consumer are released from their respective obligations in the contract, without prejudice to the performance of existing obligations prior
to termination.

3. Classes of and Requirements for Applicants
COMMON REQUIREMENTS:
Valid ID
Barangay Clearance
List of Loads
Classes and Additional Requirement/s:
Owners
Successors – Proof of Succession
Authorized Representatives –
Notarized Authorization

4. Classes of and Requirements for Applicants
Tenants of Privately-owned Premises
Lease contract or any notarized authorization showing right to occupy
Undertaking by the Owner
Informal Settlers of Government-owned Properties
Proof of right to occupy
DU may waive any
requirement

5. Undertaking of the Owner
Joint and solidary liability to pay unpaid regular monthly bills , but not to exceed 2 months after applying the bill deposit
Does not apply to a mass-housing developer
Applies to obligations of person/s authorized by the owner to occupy the premises without the knowledge of the DU

6. DU Options when Tenant Leaves
Terminate, after due notice
Change, after due notice, the registered customer with the owner or any person designated by the owner to be the new registered customer following a 30-day notice

7. Accurate Meter
DU must install a meter of the proper type and classification compatible with the electrical system/network in use in the premises of the consumer
For errors arising therefrom, the liability of the consumer shall be limited
An accurate electric meter, located in an area allowed under existing ERC rules, regulations, policies and guidelines, is presumed to register the correct consumption of the
registered consumer or user

8. Properly-Installed Meter
Clustering of meters is now allowed for the following:
Upon request of the customer
No right of way
Areas with high incidence of electricity pilferages
Meters may be located in EMCs or clustered upon the request of the concerned government agency or LGU

9. Relocation of Meters
Failure to meet the conditions for proper location of meters is due to the fault of the customer
DU to inform customer of non-compliance
Customer to coordinate with DU for proper relocation within 30 days from notice
Customer bears the costs of relocation

10. Relocation of Meters
After the lapse, DU can relocate without further notice
Refusal to allow entry to relocate the meter is a ground for disconnection

11. Extension of Lines and Facilities
Customer or developer advances the cost of lines and facilities
Customer or developer may demand the issuance of financial instruments mutually acceptable to the parties
Refund at the rate of 75% of GDR to consumers connected to the lines and facilities, until fully refunded
Parties may agree to accelerate the refund of the cash advance provided there is no
cross-subsidy

12. Extension of Lines and Facilities
Only refunded amount shall form part of the DU’s regulatory asset base
Dedicated transformers, including their maintenance, repair or replacement, for the sole and exclusive use of the consumer, shall be at the expense of the said consumer
Maintenance of the lines and facilities shall be at the expense of the DU

13. Grounds for Disconnection
Refusal, without any justifiable reason, of the consumer to allow DU representatives’ entry into the premises to relocate the electric meter
48-hour notice required
Failure to adhere to the payment scheme for the recovery by the DU of the cost of relocation of meter/s
30-day notice required
Failure to pay the required
bill deposits, reimposed, adjusted or otherwise

14. Retirement of Facilities
Allow immediate retirement of facilities
Retirement of facilities is mandatory if the electric service remains disconnected for 30 days
Retirement is not tantamount to termination of electric service contract

15. Protests All protests must be in writing
File within 15 days from payment of the protested amount
For high billing complaints, file within 60 days from payment

16. Bill Deposits – applicable to all customer classes
Applicants for new and additional service shall be required to pay bill deposits
Equivalent to the estimated monthly billing of the applicant
Adjusted yearly when the increase/decrease in the actual average monthly bill is more than 10%
Cash bill deposits shall earn interest equivalent to peso savings deposit interest rate of the LBP on the first working day of the year, or that of other government banks subject to ERC
approval
Interest to be credited yearly

17. Bill Deposits
DUs are allowed to provide options other than cash deposits as a guarantee of customer’s payment
Customer has not previously posted a bill deposit and his electric service is disconnected
Post bill deposit and pay the outstanding bills

18. Bill Deposits
Refunded one month from termination of electric service if all bills were paid
Refund prior to termination – customer pays his monthly bills on or before their due date for 3 consecutive years
After refund, customer defaults – bill deposit is reimposed
No more refund of bill deposit until termination of electric service
Non-payment of reimposed
bill deposit – ground for disconnection

19. Bill Deposits – applicable to all customer classes
applicants with established credit
relocate their electric service
no bill deposits
applicants lose credit when they default in paying their bills
additional account - separate deposit

20. Meter Deposits – Applicable to all customers
All customers are exempt from payment of meter deposits
Customer shall shoulder cost of meter replacement if he caused the loss or damage of the meter
Meter deposits of existing customers are to be refunded

21. High Billings Protests must be filed within 60 days from payment
High Billing – more than 100% increase in kilowatthour consumption from the customer’s previous average 12-month consumption
Customer may pay the average
12-month consumption
while the protest is
pending with the DU

22. High Billings
DUs to complete investigation, at the cost of the customer, within 30 days, from filing of the complaint
Inspections of the premises, including electrical meter and wirings, shall be done in the presence of the customer

23. Abnormally High Billings
Customer to pay 12-month average consumption plus ½ of the difference between the contested amount and the 12-month average consumption provided the following conditions are met:
Unexplained consumption
Meter is accurate
No tapping of load-side wire
No billing errors

24. Abnormally High Billings
DU must replace a meter that registered an abnormally high consumption
Customer to pay in full in any of the ff:
Customer is unable to justify his claim within a
3-month period from the date of the contested billing
Increase in consumption has been sufficiently established by the DU
Customer’s subsequent consumption for any month in the following 12 months
approximates the contested bill

25. Transfer of Electric Service
New tenant from the old tenant when the latter has left the premises
New owner from the old owner, in case of sale of the premises
DU has discovered that the tenant-registered customer has left the premises

26. Termination of Electric Service
Request by the registered consumer
Death of the registered consumer
The electric service of the registered consumer has been disconnected due to unpaid bills and the said service is not reconnected by the distribution utility within a period of three
months from such disconnection

27. Termination of Electric Service
Permanent departure or abandonment by the registered consumer of the subject premises
Public safety
Orders of competent courts or other government agencies