Ohio § 4933.121

§ 4933.121.

(A) Except as provided in division (E) of section 5117.11 of the Revised Code , an electric light company shall not, for any reason, unless requested by the consumer

for safety reasons, or unless tampering with utility company equipment or theft of

electricity or utility company equipment has occurred, cease to provide electricity

to any residential consumer for the period beginning on the fifteenth day of November

and ending on the fifteenth day of the following April, unless both of the following

apply: (1) The account of the consumer is in arrears thirty days or more. (2) If the occupant of residential premises is a tenant whose landlord is responsible

for payment for the service provided by the company, the company has, five days previously,

notified the occupant of its intent to discontinue service to the occupant. (B) The company shall not refuse to furnish electricity on account of arrearages due

it for electricity furnished to persons formerly receiving services at the premises

as customers of the company, provided the former customers are not continuing to reside

at the premises. (C) No company shall cease to provide electricity to any residential premises between

the fifteenth day of November and the fifteenth day of April because of a failure

to pay the amount due for the electricity unless the company, at the time it sends

or delivers to the premises notices of termination, informs the occupant of the premises

where to obtain state and federal aid for payment of utility bills and for home weatherization

and information on local government aid for payment of utility bills and for home

weatherization. (D) On or before the first day of November, a county human services department may request

a company to give prior notification of any residential service terminations to occur

during the period beginning on the fifteenth day of November immediately following

the department's request and ending on the fifteenth day of the following April.  If a department makes such a written request, at least twenty-four hours before

the company terminates services to a residential customer in the county during that

period for failure to pay the amount due for service, the company shall provide written

notice to the department of the residential customer whose service the company so

intends to terminate.  No company that has received such a request shall terminate such service during

that period unless it has provided the notice required under this division. (E) No company shall cease to provide electricity to the residential premises of any

residential consumer who is deployed on active duty for nonpayment for electricity

provided to the residential premises. Upon return of a residential consumer from active duty, the company shall offer the

residential consumer a period equal to at least the period of deployment on active

duty to pay any arrearages incurred during the period of deployment.  The company shall inform the residential consumer that, if the period the company

offers presents a hardship to the consumer, the consumer may request a longer period

to pay the arrearages and, in the case of a company that is a public utility as defined

in section 4905.02 of the Revised Code , may request the assistance of the public utilities commission to obtain a longer

period.  No late payment fees or interest shall be charged to the residential consumer during

the period of deployment or the repayment period. If a company that is a public utility determines that amounts owed by a residential

consumer who is deployed on active duty are uncollectible, the company may file an

application with the public utilities commission for approval of authority to recover

the amounts.  The recovery shall be through a rider on the base rates of customers of the company

or through other means as may be approved by the commission, provided that any amount

approved to be recovered through a rider or other means shall not be considered by

the commission in any subsequent rate determination. As used in this division, “ active duty ” means active duty pursuant to an executive order of the president of the United

States, an act of the congress of the United States, or section 5919.29 or 5923.21 of the Revised Code .