Identifies customers who use certain electrically operated life sustaining medical equipment in their home. Helps customers - for whom a service interruption could be immediately life threatening, or would make operation of necessary medical or life supporting equipment impossible or impractical - prepare for planned and unplanned power outages.

Helps Ohioans served by PUCO-regulated utilities reconnect or maintain electric and natural gas service during the winter heating season. Also applies to customers seeking to establish new electric or natural gas service provided they are served by PUCO-regulated utilities. Rather than paying the full security deposit that may be required for new service, customers can pay up to $175 and the balance above $175 may be charged to the customer on the customer’s next monthly bill.

Offers medical certifications to delay disconnection for those with medical conditions who require electricity to maintain their health. Individuals must request a medical certification form from AEP and have the physician complete it. Also provides third party notices.

The Special Reconnect Order allows Ohioans, who are served by PUCO-regulated electric and natural gas utilities, to pay $175.00 to maintain, restore, transfer, or establish service, from October 14, 2024, through April 18, 2025. If service has already been disconnected, the utility can require a reconnection fee of no more than $36.00 upfront to restore service, during normal business hours. The company may bill the remainder of the reconnection fee, if applicable. To establish or transfer service, Ohioans can pay $175.00 in lieu of their security deposit. Any remaining amount would be added to the following billing cycle. Customers can pay the fee themselves, or apply for the Winter Crisis Program, if eligible, through their local energy assistance provider for a maximum benefit of $175.00. Ohioans who use the Special Reconnect Order are required to enroll in an extended payment plan for their remaining balance. Regulated natural gas and electric companies are required to offer the One-Sixth, One-Ninth, and One-Third payment plans, and PIPP Plus/Graduate PIPP Plus.

Offers Medical Certification Program which delays a shutoff, or restores service, when it would be life threatening or especially dangerous to the health of a permanent member of the houshold.

State law prevents utilities from disconnecting a consumer's electric and natural gas services for nonpayment if a permanent member of the household has a medical condition defined as "especially dangerous" to health and the consumer has a medical certification waiver on file to that effect with the utility company. Medical certifications can be used to prevent a utility disconnection up to three times during a 12-month period or to reconnect service if the customer has been disconnected for no more that 21 days. Certification forms must be completed for each case of disconnection or reconnection. The waiver is valid for 30 days and forms are available from the utility. The certification must be signed by a licensed physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife or a local board of health physician. Generally, the medical personnel fax or mail the completed form to the utility company. The responsibility for determining whether a condition warrants a medical certification lies exclusively with the medical professional - not the utility or the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC). This determination is made by the doctor consulting with the patient. There are no income guidelines associated with the use of a medical certification waiver. The waiver can be used for either electric or natural gas utilities or both. Investor-owned water companies also offer medical certification waivers. For more details contact the OCC.

Gas utility company. Emergency service 24 hours, call 877-542-2630.

Provides 30-day emergency restoration of service for medical reasons. Customers must supply a medical certification form signed by their physician and enroll in a payment plan prior to the end of the extension. The extension may be renewed two times but cannot exceed a total of 90 days per household in a 12 month period.

Identifies customers who use certain electrically operated life sustaining medical equipment in their home. Helps customers - for whom a service interruption could be immediately life threatening, or would make operation of necessary medical or life supporting equipment impossible or impractical - prepare for planned and unplanned power outages.

Identifies customers who use certain electrically operated life sustaining medical equipment in their home. Helps customers - for whom a service interruption could be immediately life threatening, or would make operation of necessary medical or life supporting equipment impossible or impractical - prepare for planned and unplanned power outages.

Provides customer assistance with utility connection/disconnection, service or billing complaints, and a list of other service providers for price comparisons. Repairs exterior gas lines (from meter to gas main) and performs maintenance on the community wide-natural gas delivery system. Also provides basic consumer education regarding natural gas and its use.

Gas utility company. Emergency service 24 hours, call 877-542-2630.

Issues an order annually, allowing residential customers who are disconnected or being threatened with disconnection the opportunity to pay a designated amount to have their service restored or maintained. Also, customers requesting new natural gas or electric service, who have no previous balance with their utility, may establish service using the Special Reconnect Order (SRO). The Special Reconnect Order may be used once during each heating season, which runs from mid-October through mid-April.

Medical certifications can be used to prevent a utility disconnection up to three times during a 12-month period or to reconnect service if the customer has been disconnected for no more than 21 days. Certification forms must be completed for each case of disconnection or reconnection. The waiver is valid for 30 days and forms are available from the utility. The certification must be signed by a licensed physician, physician assistant, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife or a local board of health physician. Generally, the medical personnel will fax or mail the completed form to the utility company.

An order that requires any PUCO regulated utility company to reconnect or maintain service (electric and natural gas) during winter heating season if the customer pays $175 plus any applicable reconnection charge not to exceed $36. NOTE: Cleveland Public Power is NOT PUCO regulated but does have their own reconnect program. Also, any customer of a regulated utility company who has a Winer Crisis appointment with a Community Action Agency will have their disconnection suspended for 30 days past the date of the appointment. The reconnection lasts for one billing cycle, by the end of which, customers must enroll in a payment plan, or, if already enrolled in a payment plan, pay off plan's default balance or risk disconnection (PIPP customers must pay the balance of any default they may have within one billing cycle in order to re-enroll in PIPP.) If customer does not qualify for PIPP Plus, the default plan is the one-ninth plan.

Delays a shutoff for 30 days when it would be especially dangerous to the health of a permanent member of the household. It allows the household time to get financial help or make payment arrangements.

Provides a 30-day delay in utility shut-off when the dissconection would make operation of necessary medical or life support equipment impossible to a permanent household resident. The 30-day grace period is designed to enable the customer to make arrangements in order to avoid a future shut-off. Under certain circumstances, there may be 2 renewals of this delay over a rolling 12-month period. If there has already been a disconnection, service can be restored if the medical certification form is received within 21 days of shut-off. After 21 days, it cannot be restored using this mechanism. Does not reduce the amount the customer owes.

Customers with severe health problems may have their physician or nurse practitioner submit written confirmation that the customer or someone else living at the property has a medical condition that would be aggravated if Aqua shut off the water (usually for non-payment). Once received by Aqua, a valid medical certificate gives the customer 30 days to pay the bill or to make payment arrangements.

Provides a 30 day extension to prevent utility disconnection with verification of qualifying medical condition from a medical provider. A maximum of three medical extensions can be used within a rolling 12-month period.