Austin Energy Vectren Energy Delivery

Transcription

1 Austin Energy Vectren Energy Delivery CS Week Conference 2015 Results with Payment Arrangement/Plans JJ Gutierrez Vice President Customer Care Services Austin Energy Sherri Bell Customer Relations Manager Vectren Energy Delivery

2 Payment Arrangement Policy Setting at Austin Energy CS Week Conference April 2015 Jawana Gutierrez Vice President Customer Care Services

3 Goals Follow City Code and state laws regarding utility debt Assist the customer in reducing outstanding balances by offering flexible payment arrangements Offer the customer opportunities to successfully manage their utility account and prevent perpetual debt accumulation Offer special provisions for low income customers 3

4 Historical Policy Drivers Historical Period Standard Active Collections CC&B Stabilization Period No Disconnects Restart Period Restart Active Collections Current Period Interim Collections Policies 2000 Oct 2011 Jan 2013 Dec 2013 Present For 11 years the City managed customer debt under same policy During the stabilization of new billing system it is best practice to suspend collections activity When we stopped disconnecting, customer debt increased beyond normal levels We have been operating under an interim collections policy for 1 year, pending Council review of Committee recommendations 4

5 Interim Payment Arrangement Policy Historical Period Current Period Eligibility All Residential All Residential Length of Term Number of PA's Allowed 3 6 months 1 Payment Arrangement (Offered 2 nd with special circumstance) 36 months (non CAP) Unlimited (CAP) 4 Payment Arrangements with bona fide reason (Offered 5th Payment with special circumstance) Disconnect Yes, after 1 broken arrangement Yes, after 4 broken arrangements Down Payment 10 50% of past due required None required Historical policy too restrictive during Restart period Advocates claimed customers will perform better with more/longer PAs A more relaxed policy was mandated by City Council Customer 5

6 Impact of Policy Change Payment Arrangement Status Grouped By Start Date Report Date: 8/6/ % 3.1% 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% % of Payment Arrangements Age of Payment Arrangement (Days) Pre-Policy Change % Broken # Pre-Policy Change % Complete # The majority of Payment Arrangements are broken by the fourth month of the agreement For Example, of the Payment Arrangements that are140 days old 76.7% were broken on or prior to the report date. 3.1% were completed. (The remaining 20.8% were still Active not completed or broken.) 6

7 Impact of Policy Change Payment Arrangement Status Grouped By Start Date Report Dates: 8/6/2013 and 5/1/2014 Age of Payment Arrangement (Days) Pre-Policy Change % Broken # Pre-Policy Change % Complete # Post-Policy Change % Broken # Post-Policy Change % Complete # 83.0% 4.9% 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% % of Payment Arrangements In comparison, the trends in customer behavior did not shift significantly with relaxed Collections practices. 83% of Payment Arrangements were broken within 140 days of their start date. 7

8 Broken Payment Arrangements The longer the PA, the greater the potential for default 450 Residential PAs Created Daily Subdivided by Status Active # Broken # Complete # 8

9 Broken Payment Arrangements 70% of Payment Arrangements are broken by the 4 th installment 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 75.6% PA s are Broken by the 6 th Installment Status of Residential PAs Grouped by Start Date Life of Payment Arrangement program 68% PA s are Broken by the 4 th Installment 56% PA s are Broken by the 3 rd Installment 40.0% 30.0% 34% PA s are Broken by the 2 nd Installment 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% % Active # % Broken # % Complete # 9

10 Effects of Multiple Payment Arrangements Customers with multiple broken payment arrangements can end up owing more than when they started Multiple payment arrangements can create a cycle of perpetual debt Example Customer Current Policy Default Balance(1st): $ th PA, 24 installments of $ th PA, 12 installments of $ rd PA, 13 installments of $ nd PA, 24 installments of $ st PA, 8 installments. of $

11 New Policy Recommendation Current Policy New Policy Eligibility All Residential All Residential Length of Term Number of PA's Allowed 36 months (non CAP) Unlimited (CAP) 4 Payment Arrangements with bona fide reason (Offered 5th Payment with special circumstance) 12 months (non CAP) Up to 24 months (CAP) 2 Payment Arrangements Disconnect Yes, after 4 broken arrangements Yes, after 2 broken arrangements Down Payment None required 10% 50% Allow up to 12 months to accommodate larger balances Provide 2 PAs to minimize growth in customer debt Require a down-payment to lower customer s beginning balance 11

12 New Payment Arrangement Policy Customers with 2 broken payment arrangements are disconnected, and must pay 50% down payment to restart services Example Customer - New Policy 5 th PA, 24 installments of $ th PA, 12 installments of $82.57 Disconnection Default Balance(1st): $ rd PA, 13 installments of $ nd PA, 10% down - 12 installments of $ st PA, 8 installmts. 1 PA, 12 of $86.13 installments of $50.00 Default Balance(1st): $ st PA, 50% down - 12 installments of $33.85 New Balance(1st): $

13 New Policy Recommendation Summary Collections process has been reinstated and gradually ramped up since May 2013 Austin Energy has the most flexible payment arrangement practices compared to other leading utilities in the industry Payment arrangements are a viable tool to manage a customer s account. However, multiple PAs have an adverse effect on a customer s outstanding balance Recommendation Present new Payment Arrangement policy to City Council for adoption 13

14 Vectren Energy Delivery CS Week Conference 2015 Payment Arrangement Policies Sherri Bell Customer Relations Manager

15 Vectren s gas footprint 15 Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana South 110,000 gas customers Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana North 570,000 gas customers Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio 312,000 gas customers

16 Vectren s electric footprint 16 Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana South 142,000 electric customers 1,300 MW Power plants AB Brown FB Culley Warrick Unit 4 Blackfoot Clean Energy Plant

17 Ohio Payment Arrangement Requirements 17 Non Heating Season 1/6th Arrangement - The One-Sixth-Payment Plan requires one-sixth of the past due balance plus the current bill each month. 1/9th Arrangements - The One-Ninth- Payment Plan requires nine equal monthly payments on the past due balance in addition to a budget payment plan for the projected bills, which ends nine months from the initial payment.

18 Ohio Payment Arrangement Requirements 18 Winter Heating Season 1/3 rd Arrangement From November 1 through April 15, plan that allows customers to pay onethird of the total balance due each month (past due amount plus the current bill). Winter Reconnection Order allows customers to maintain or connect their service for a maximum payment of $175. They must also apply for available energy assistance programs and/or make a payment arrangement for any remaining balances.

19 Indiana Payment Arrangements Requirements 19 Three month payment arrangement requires down payment and then one-third of the past due balance plus the current bill each month The minimum down payment: For Gas customers: $25.00 or 10% (which ever is less) For Electric customers: $10.00 or 10% (which ever is less) For customers with both services: $35.00 or 10% (which ever is less)

20 Ohio Low Income Customers 20 PIPP Plus - PIPP Plus is available for customers whose total income is at or below 150% of the Federal poverty level. PIPP Plus requires customers to pay 6% of their total monthly household income. PIPP Plus offers an incentive payment each time a customer pays their PIPP Plus installment. This includes an arrearage credit of 1/24 th of their arrearage at the start of the program and a delta credit to remove any portion of their current months charges in addition to their installment. Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that provides financial assistance to eligible consumers with their winter heating bills. E-HEAP - provides financial assistance once per heating season to eligible households that are disconnected, seeking disconnection avoidance or to connect.

21 Indiana Low Income Customers 21 Energy Assistance Program (EAP) federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides a one time payment towards heating bills. Customer qualified for EAP cannot be disconnected during the winter heating season (December 1 March 15).

22 Credit Related Guidelines Group 22 Created a multi department group that includes members from customer service, training, low income department, and revenue management. Define policy and procedures for determining credit worthiness and payment arrangement options. Review current trends and modify policies as needed. Focused effort to assist customers ability to maintain service and avoid the seasonal disconnections.

23 Indiana Payment Arrangement Policies 23 Added new option for all customer segments for those ineligible for normal payment arrangement. 50% Down Arrangement - requires 50% of the full balance to be paid the same day the arrangement is requested, either with a check or credit card payment over the phone or same day payment at a local pay site. The remaining balance must be paid within 14 calendar days.

24 Helping Those Challenged to Pay 24 LIHEAP Customers receiving LIHEAP are offered reduced deposits Provided the opportunity to pay defaulted payment arrangement amounts to avoid disconnection Extended payment arrangements that extend the balance through September Universal Service Program (USP) (at or below 150% of the Federal poverty level) Provided $2.4M (exclusive of the crisis hardship fund) to 22,00 customers in 2013/2014 USP Crisis/Hardship Fund (at or below 200% of the Federal poverty level) Assistance for customers with past due balances Distributed $860,000 assistance to 4,500 customers in 2013/2014

25 Inactive Services 25 Composition of Inactives South North Ohio Total DNP MVOT % of Total Inactive* 22% 53% 25% 27% 48% % went inactive % 3% 4% 4% 3% 5% % went inactive % 30% 36% 32% 39% 37% % went inactive prior to % 67% 60% 65% 58% 59%

26 Payment Arrangement Status Indiana North 26 Active Completed Cancelled

27 Thank you! Questions? City of Austin - Austin Energy Customer Care Services 721 Barton Spring Rd. Austin, Texas p Vectren Energy Delivery One Vectren Square Evansville, IN