(A) Except as provided in subsection (B) of this section, an electric cooperative must not interrupt electric service to any residential customer for nonpayment of a bill until twenty-five days have elapsed from the date of billing.

(B) An electric cooperative may interrupt electric service to a residential customer who has voluntarily enrolled in a prepay program if the prepay program allows the customer to monitor his consumption of electricity and his account balance on a daily basis and the balance of that customer’s prepay account is zero, provided that the following conditions are met:

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 33-49-255

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Person: includes any natural person, firm, association, corporation, business trust, partnership, federal agency, state or political subdivision or agency thereof, or any body politic. See South Carolina Code 33-49-20

(1) at the time the residential customer enrolls in the prepay program, the residential customer is informed and agrees that his electric service may be interrupted when the balance of his prepay account reaches zero;

(2) electric service must not be interrupted before 10:00 a.m. on the next business day following an attempt by the electric cooperative to give the customer notice of the impending interruption by telephone or electronically; and

(3) service must not be interrupted except during hours when the electric cooperative is accepting cash payments. For purposes of this subsection, a business day is any day in which the electric cooperative, or an agent, is accepting cash payments.

(C) Nothing contained in this section must be construed so as to relieve an electric cooperative of the requirements of Act 313 of 2006.

(D) A person aggrieved by a violation of this section must make a complaint to the Office of Regulatory Staff for redress in accordance with applicable law. If the matter is not resolved after making a complaint to the Office of Regulatory Staff, the person may petition the courts of this State for redress.