06-12-19 CenterPoint Energy Schedule of Rates Notice

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CENTERPOINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP. D/B/A CENTERPOINT ENERGY ENTEX AND CENTERPOINT ENERGY TEXAS GAS GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO NATURAL GAS SERVICE IN TEXAS (3) The applicable rate schedule title or code; (4) The total base bill; (5) The total of any adjustments to the base bill and the amount of adjustments per billing unit; (6) The date by which the customer must pay the bill in order to avoid penalty; (7) The total amount due after addition of any penalty for nonpayment within a designated period; and (8) A distinct marking to identify an estimated bill. The information required above shall be arranged and displayed in such a manner as to allow the customer to compute his bill with the applicable rate schedule. The applicable rate schedule must be mailed to the customer on request of the customer. The Company may exhaust its stock of non-conforming bill forms existing on the effective date hereof before compliance is required with this section. (c) Where there is a good reason for doing so,estimated bills may be submitted provided that an actual meter reading is taken at least every six months. For the second consecutive month in which the meter reader is unable to gain access to the premises to read the meter on regular meter reading trips,or in months where meters are not read otherwise,the Company shall provide the customer with a postcard and request that the customer read the meter and return the card to the utility if the meter is of a type that can be read by the customer without significant inconvenience or special tools or equipment. If such a postcard is not received by the Company in time for billing,the Company may estimate the meter reading and render the bill accordingly. (d) Disputed bills. (1) In the event of a dispute between the customer and the Company regarding the bill, the Company shall forthwith make such investigation as is required by the particular case and report the results thereof to the customer. If the customer wishes to obtain the benefit of subsection(2) hereunder, notification of the dispute must be given to the Company prior to the date the bill becomes delinquent. In the event the dispute is not resolved, the Company shall inform the customer of the complaint procedures of the appropriate regulatory authority. (2) Notwithstanding any other provisions of these rules and regulations, the customer shall not be required to pay the disputed portion of the bill which exceeds the amount of that customer's average usage for the billing period at current rates until the earlier of the following: (1) resolution of the dispute;or(2)the expiration of the sixty(60)day period beginning on the day the disputed bill is issued. For purposes of this section only,the customer's average usage for the billing period shall be the average of the customer's usage for the same billing period during the preceding two(2)years. Where no previous usage history exists,the average usage shall be estimated on the basis of usage levels of similar customers and under similar conditions. 21. NEW CONSTRUCTION (a) Standards of construction. The Company shall construct, install, operate, and maintain its plant, structures, equipment, and lines in accordance with the provisions of such codes and standards as are generally accepted by the industry, as modified by rule or regulation of the regulatory authority, or