Section 255.20  Notice to the Public

Notice to the public, and to persons affected, of any change proposed by a public utility in its schedule or schedules shall be given in accordance with the following:

a)         Public Utility's Schedule.

1)         The public utility shall maintain and keep open to public inspection in each office of the public utility a copy of the public utility's schedule applicable to each of the services furnished by the public utility in the territory served by such office.  The public utility shall also maintain and keep open to public inspection in each of its said offices a folder in which shall be filed a copy of every proposed change in said schedule or schedules, together with copy of the applicable supplemental statement referred to in Section 255.30(l)(1), concurrently with the filing by the public utility with the Commission of such proposed change.  The public utility shall keep on file in said folder a copy of said proposed change and a copy of said supplemental statement throughout and during the period such proposed change is pending before the Commission.

2)         The public utility shall also post in two public and conspicuous places in each office of the public utility a notice not less than 7½ inches by 10 inches in size printed in black on a white background, reading substantially as follows:

PUBLIC NOTICE

The schedules of this Company showing all of its rates and other charges, classifications, rules and regulations relating thereto now filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission and in force and applicable to service rendered through this office in this territory, are on file in this office and open to public inspection.

An employee of this Company will assist any person to determine from the schedules any rate, charge, classification, rule or regulation.

b)         Whenever any proposed change, other than a general rate increase, in a schedule shall be filed with the Commission, the public utility shall either:

1)         make newspaper publication in accordance with the provisions of subsection (f)(1) below; or

2)         concurrently post in a public and conspicuous place in each of the offices of the public utility in the territory affected by the change, and shall keep so posted during the period such proposed change is pending before the Commission, a notice not less than 7½ inches by 10 inches in size printed in black on a white background, reading substantially as follows:

PUBLIC NOTICE

Proposed Changes in Rates, Charges, Classifications,

Rules and Regulations For Service

The Company has filed with and there is now pending before the Illinois Commerce Commission a proposed change in the Company's schedule. A copy of such proposed change is on file in this office and open to public inspection.

An employee of this Company will assist any person to determine the effect of the proposed change.

Customers should be advised that the Commission may alter or amend the rates or conditions of service after hearings held pursuant 83 Ill. Adm. Code 200 and may increase or decrease individual rates in amounts other than those requested by the Company.

(Note:  Insert in the blank space the type of service involved, that is, electric, gas, heat, etc.)

c)         The titles of the foregoing notices shall be in letters of size not less than 48 point type and the bodies of the notices in letters of size not less than 24 point type.

d)         The permanent notices required by subsection (a)(2) above shall be kept posted at all hours when the offices are open for the transaction of business by the public.  When a temporary notice is posted pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b)(2) above it shall, during the period involved, be kept posted at all hours when the offices are open for the transaction of business by the public.

e)         In each such office of the utility there shall be in regular attendance a representative or employee of the utility available to assist any person to determine from such schedule any rate, charge, classification, rule or regulation, and also to assist any person to determine the provisions of any proposed change then pending before the Commission.

f)         General rate increases

1)         Whenever any proposed change in a schedule which would effect a general rate increase shall be filed with the Commission, the  public utility shall, beginning not later than 10 days following such filing, cause to be published once each week for two consecutive weeks in some secular newspaper (that has been regularly published for at least six months prior to the first publication of such notice) in general circulation in the territory affected by such change a notice in substantially the form found in Exhibit A (occupying space not less than one column in width and three inches in length).

2)         With respect to a proposed change constituting a general rate increase, in addition to giving notice by publication as provided in subsection (f)(1), the public utility shall give notice by posting as provided in subsection (b)(2) above.

g)         Any fixed utility with $300,000 of annual operating revenues or less may request a staff review, examination and evaluation of its books, records and operations prior to filing a tariff, pursuant to Section 9-201 of the Act, which proposes a general rate increase.  The Commission staff will direct the utility to mail to each of its customers a notice when the staff has established that the utility is in compliance with applicable requirements of the Act and that adequate information in support of the request for a staff review has been received.  The notice shall include the amounts of the proposed rates and the manner in which a customer may obtain information or express views thereon.  This notice will be in lieu of all notices required by subsections (f)(1) and (2) above.

h)         In any instance where the Commission deems it appropriate that there be newspaper publication with respect to any proposed change in a schedule even though such publication is not otherwise required under this Part, or in any instance where the Commission deems it appropriate that there be other notice than is herein provided of any proposed change in a schedule, the Commission by its order or by a letter over the signature of its Chief Clerk will direct that such publication, or other notice, shall be made or given. In the event the Commission does so direct that notice by newspaper publication be made or given, the public utility shall make publication as provided for in subsection (f)(1) above.

(Source:  Amended at 17 Ill. Reg. 798, effective January 15, 1993)