Indiana § 8-1-2-36.5 - Installation of submetering equipment for individual units; adoption of rules

§ 8-1-2-36.5. Installation of submetering equipment for individual units; adoption of rules

Sec. 36.5. (a) As used in this section, "building" means any building containing more than one (1) residential unit, including trailer courts and similar multiple user installations, but does not include hotels, motels, or other similar transient lodging.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, any owner, operator, or manager of a building in which:

(1) units of the building are separately rented or leased; and

(2) units of the building are not individually metered for electricity because the building is exempt from commission rules on master metering or for any other lawful reason;

may install kilowatt hour submetering equipment for each individual dwelling unit to fairly allocate the cost of each individual dwelling unit's electrical consumption and charge the tenant of the dwelling unit for that consumption.

(c) The submetering equipment shall be used to measure the number of kilowatt hours used by a tenant during a particular billing period. The amount that a tenant owes is equal to:

(1) the total number of kilowatt hours consumed by the tenant during a particular billing period; multiplied by

(2) a fraction, the numerator of which is the total electric bill for a master meter, and the denominator of which is the total kilowatt hours consumed on a master meter, all for the same billing period as in subdivision (1).

The total electric bill for a master meter, in addition to the rate per kilowatt hour, includes any sales tax, demand charges, energy component charges, and any other taxes or charges that are lawfully applied to the bill. The owner, operator, or manager of a building or buildings served by a master meter may not impose on the tenant any extra charges over and above the total electric bill for a master meter (which includes the rate per kilowatt hour and any lawful taxes or charges, but does not include a late payment charge) for a particular billing period than is charged to the owner, operator, or manager of a building or buildings served by a master meter.

(d) The commission shall adopt rules in accordance with IC 4-22-2 to govern the following:

(1) Maintenance of adequate records by the owner, operator, or manager of a building or buildings served by a master meter.

(2) Accuracy, testing, and recordkeeping associated with the submeters.

(3) Complaints of violations of this section, filed with and investigated by the consumer affairs department of the commission.

(4) Procedures for the installation of submetering equipment.

(5) Procedures for hearings on complaints filed under subdivision (3).

(6) Any other rules necessary to carry out this section.

(e) In the hearings on complaints under subsection (d)(5), the commission's authority is limited solely to a determination of whether a violation did in fact occur.

(f) The commission shall adopt rules in accordance with IC 4-22-2 to carry out this section.

As added by P.L.60-1984, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.7-1987, SEC.11; P.L.23-1988, SEC.23.