Customer disconnection from investor-owned gas utility service - rules

(1) An investor-owned gas utility shall not penalize or charge a fee to a customer that voluntarily terminates gas service. Once a customer has terminated the investor-owned utility's gas service, the utility shall not continue to charge the customer any fees. Any costs associated with termination shall be considered part of general distribution system investments and are eligible for cost recovery. (2) The commission may adopt rules to establish standards for a customer's voluntary disconnection from an investor-owned gas utility's gas distribution system. If the commission adopts the disconnection rules, the commission must consider: (a) The health and safety risks related to the customer no longer using the gas distribution system; (b) The cost effectiveness of the method of disconnection; (c) The use of, or requiring the installation of, shut-off valves or pipeline caps as an option in lieu of potentially more cost-prohibitive excavation or construction activities to remove existing gas infrastructure; (d) The impact on staffing, including any requirements and procedures for utility employees and contract workers; (e) The impact on critical repairs, scheduled maintenance, leak mitigation, and other related activities; and (f) Any other consideration that the commission deems appropriate. (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that a utility cannot charge an individual customer for excavation or construction activities to remove existing gas infrastructure if the customer has declined the more cost-effective methods to disconnect service.