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FFY2014 EAP Annual Training

FFY2014 EAP Annual Training Part 6: ERR; Energy Vendors; Public Utilities Commission Presentation; EAP WAP Coordination; WAP Presentation. Ch 8. Energy Related Repair. FFY14 Energy Related Repair. Intention Implement ERR changes and improvements

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FFY2014 EAP Annual Training

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  1. FFY2014 EAP Annual Training Part 6: ERR; Energy Vendors; Public Utilities Commission Presentation; EAP WAP Coordination; WAP Presentation

  2. Ch 8. Energy Related Repair

  3. FFY14 Energy Related Repair Intention • Implement ERR changes and improvements • Clarify misunderstood policies and procedures By • Explaining changes • Responding to questions

  4. FFY14 Energy Related Repair Importance of ERR • ERR is response to life-threatening situations • Health & safety risks • Single largest benefit to a household, therefore at most risk and under most scrutiny • Stays with dwelling, not the individual • So, we need to be extra diligent – eligibility, benefit levels

  5. FFY14 Energy Related Repair Training Topics • ERR Eligibility • Determining Benefit Delivery • Completing Services • ERR Payments • eHEAT Improvements • Questions

  6. FFY14 Energy Related Repair Proof of Ownership section addition (Pg4) • “Service Providers should require contractors to notify them if the repair will cost over $1,000 before the contractor begins the repair work. Service Providers must then obtain ownership verification before the repair work occurs.”

  7. FFY14 Energy Related Repair ERR Eligibility - Improvements • “Medically Necessary Fuel Type Changes” – permanent (Pg7) • “ERR funds may be used to change fuel types in medically necessary situations provided the household supplies a written doctor’s letter stating the need or disability. Medically necessary excludes short-termdisabilities.”

  8. Determining Benefit - Changes Manual J is required (Pg 12) • It is not required to submit a bid or proposal • But it must be performed by the selected contractor before installing the heating unit • If costs increase after selected contractor calculates Manual J, all proposals/bids must be reevaluated

  9. Determining ERR Benefit Changes ERR Procurement (Pg. 8) • In FFY13 ERR expenditures were $6 million • Must follow Title 2 CFR Part 215 • Must have written procedures in place for either option - part of Local Plan attachments • Cost-price analysis, quality-price analysis, special considerations • Master list of contractors, case-by-case contracting • Local Plan: Service Provider ERR procurement policy & procedures

  10. FFY14 Energy Related Repair Determining Benefit Delivery - Changes New section: Referring ERR Emergencies to WAP (Pg6) • No-heat situations: The average temperature is expected to be below 45 degrees for 48 hours or more, or the temperature is at or below 32 degrees. • Life-threatening situations: A malfunctioning heating system is creating a life-threatening situation, e.g. a high level of CO in the flue of the heating system.

  11. FFY14 Energy Related Repair Completing services - Improvements On Site Inspections section (Pg 10) • It is a best practice to get inspections done within 30 days of invoice receipt

  12. FFY14 Energy Related Repair ERR Payments - New Payment improvements Payments section (Pg 10) • Payments for services must be made to contractors or energy vendors in a timely manner (within 60 days of completion of event) • Timely ERR payments – 30 days from inspection/receipt of invoice • Should have internal process to encourage contractors

  13. FFY14 Energy Related Repair ERR Payments - New Payment improvements Recovery of Overpaid or Disallowed ERR Expenditures (Pg. 11) • Subject to repayment with non-federal funds • Contractors subject to repayment and unable to receive future EAP payments • Service Providers report suspected fraud to local authorities

  14. ERR Notification letter Completing services - Improvements • Trigger change: When the last payment for an event is entered, it prompts letter

  15. FFY14 Energy Related Repair ERR eHEAT Screen Enhancements • ERR Tracking worksheet is optional • Still needed for referrals to WAP • Other changes were made to record more details for transactional information, self-monitoring and auditing for integrity

  16. FFY14 Energy Related Repair In eHEAT there are two screens affected: • ERR Event Screen • ERR Task Screen • There is no change to the ‘Maintain Inspection’ screen

  17. FFY14 Energy Related Repair ERR Event Screen • Does the household have Temporary Heat? • Does the household have redundant heat that heats essentially the same area? • Assessment fields • Ownership Verification

  18. FFY14 Energy Related Repair ERR Task Screen • The “Describe Task” field specifies the details • Work Order Authorized Date • Authorized By • Work Complete Date • No changes to the ‘Inspection’ Screen

  19. ERR Payment Paying a Single Task • For a single contractor with multiple tasks in an eventyou can now pay for a completed task even if there are other tasks in progress

  20. Ch 3. Energy Vendors

  21. FFY13 Overview • SPs sent payments to 839 energy vendors • Xcel, CenterPoint, MERC and MN Power serve approximately 75% of all EAP households • Training and Communication • Monitoring

  22. FFY13 Energy Vendor Payments

  23. FFY13 Energy Vendor Payments (continued)

  24. FFY13 Fuel Source Used by EAP HHs

  25. Chapter 3 – Energy Vendors Context: FFY14 Improvement Process • Joint Approach to Development w/SPs • Meeting with top energy vendors • Energy vendor SMEs • DOC state staff

  26. Chapter 3 – Consumption Voluntary Shutoffs • Reminder: Addition to Consumption Data Specifications • Added to both Chapter 3 and Chapter 6 • Instructions on reporting consumption when it is known that a household voluntarily has their energy service disconnected • Service Providers need to ensure applicable energy vendors are aware of this change

  27. Chapter 3 - Crisis Many improvements made in the Crisis Chapter also reflected in the Energy Vendor Chapter • Page 7, Crisis Eligibility section: Notice of being put on a load limiter • Page 7, Amount of Crisis Benefit section: Rounding up Crisis payments to the nearest dollar & allowable credits • allowable credit of less than $1.00 • allowable delivered fuel account credits of $10

  28. Chapter 3 – Crisis (continued) • Page 8, Crisis Information Requirements section: minor changes to information energy vendors may need to provide both pre-delivery and post-delivery • Page 9, Process to Reduce Ineligible Crisis Delivery section: changes clarify energy vendor’s actions needed • Page 10, Early Notification of Payment and Emergencies section: when possible, energy vendors should accept eHEAT “Payable” status for addressing household energy emergencies • Reminder: Obtaining post delivery information

  29. Chapter 3 - Additional Improvements • Page 11, Energy Vendor Internal Controls Responsibility section: Energy vendors are to ensure that crisis payments don’t create a credit… • over $1.00 on a connected fuel account • over $10.00 on a delivered fuel account • Page 13, Access to Records section: SP audit instructions moved to Appendix 3C, Monitoring Report

  30. EV/SP Agreement – Appendix 3A • In part II, #4 was deleted, “The Service Provider will ensure payments are made to the vendor within 5 business days of early notification of a payment” • In part III, #15 was edited to specify that “Payable” status should be accepted, when possible for addressing household emergencies • Chapter 3, Page 10 The Agreement Between Energy Vendor & Service Provider section: No payments without signed agreements

  31. Monitoring of Energy Vendors FFY14 Minor Improvements • Monitoring Report & Cover Letter (3C & 3B) • Sample size • Reviewing Crisis events • Better guidance on how to analyze • Coming post October 1 • Vendor SME • Coordinated monitoring is still an aspiration

  32. FFY14 Reminders • Payment exports – Name on account • Portals • Control Measures • Communication & Relationship Building • Maintaining current vendor lists in eHEAT • Pay-As-You-Go Programs

  33. Public Utilities Commission

  34. Energy Assistance Program Fall Training August 20-21, 2013 Public Utilities Commission Brian Swanson Public Utilities CommissionConsumer Affairs Office

  35. Topics to be covered • Public Utilities Commission • Complaints & Communications • Key trends • Smart Meters • Pay as you go • Residential Consumer Protections

  36. Public Utilities Commission • Regulate • Local and in-state long distance telephone companies • Investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities • Permitting for power plants, pipelines, transmission lines • 5 Commissioners • Appointed by the Governor • Serve staggered terms • FT employment • 50 staff

  37. Public Utilities Commission • Services provided by the Consumer Affairs Office • Mediation between utility companies and their customers • Consumer Education • Telephone Discount Programs • Cold Weather Rule • Utility Resource • Public Comments

  38. Public Utilities Commission • Interagency Relationships • Attorney General • Department of Commerce • Federal Communications Commission • Governor • Legislators (State and Federal) • Public Utilities Commissions in other states • Social Service Organizations

  39. Complaints & Communications • Complaints handled by the PUC • Billing Disputes/errors • Cold Weather Rule (October 15- April 15) • Deposits • Disconnection of Service • Extended Area Service (EAS) • Meter reading issues • Pipeline routing • Power plant siting • Rates • Service areas • Transmission line routing

  40. Complaints & Communications • Complaints NOT handled by the PUC • Cellular or mobile phone service or VOIP • Cable TV • Internet • Water • Billing disputes between roommates or tenants and landlords • Damage to customer’s property by utility • Damage to utility’s equipment by customers • Easements and easement rights • Customer-owned telephone equipment • Disputes with municipal utilities or electric cooperatives

  41. PUC Complaint Form

  42. Complaints & Communications • What happens after we receive the complaint form? • Complaint is recorded into our tracking system • Complaint is assigned to a mediator for review • Mediator contacts customer if there are additional questions or missing information • Mediator emails a copy of the complaint form and any additional questions that need to be answered to the utility • The utility must respond within 10 business day • Depending on the response, either contact the customer or ask utility additional questions

  43. Complaints & Communications • By the numbers • About 5,500 calls handled last year • 35% Electric • 33% Telecom • 16% Natural Gas • 16% Miscellaneous (often non-regulated – water, cable, internet and sewer)

  44. Key trends • Lifeline wireless providers approved in MN • Assurance Wireless • Budget Mobile • EnTouch Wireless • Life Wireless • Qlink Wireless • ReachOut Wireless • T-Mobile • TerraCom Wireless

  45. Key trends • Lifeline eligibility based on program participation • Public assistance programs eligible for telephone discount participation • Medicaid/Medical Assistance • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/ Food Stamps ) • Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)/ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Federal Housing Assistance or Section 8 Assistance • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • National School Lunch Program's free lunch program

  46. Key trends • Lifeline additional qualifications for persons living on a reservation • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance • Tribally administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families • Head Start (only those meeting its income qualifying standard) • National School Lunch Program's free lunch program

  47. Key trends • Lifeline income guidelines Federal Poverty Guidelines Household Size 135% • 1 $15,512 • 2 $20,939 • 3 $26,366 • 4 $31,793 • 5 $37,220 • 6 $42,647

  48. Key trends • Rate Cases • Xcel Energy electric rate case • Docket 12-961 • CenterPoint Energy gas rate case • Docket 13-316 • MN Energy Resources • Filing in September 2013 • Customer charge increase

  49. Smart Meters • More utilities are starting to use smart meters • Reliability • Quicker resolution to outages • Proactively resolves blink outages • Easier access to meter reading • Information • Able to review usage monthly, daily and hourly • Review data by paper, website and smart phone app

  50. Pay As You Go • Pre-pay for electric service • Only a couple Cooperatives are currently using this • Like putting gas in your car to drive • Minimum deposit to start –($25 or $50), NO large deposit • Some have in home displays that show where you are at for the month • Same rate structure • Alert level set to notify customer when $15 is left on account

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