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CENTERPOINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP. <br /> D/B/A CENTERPOINT ENERGY ENTEX <br /> AND CENTERPOINT ENERGY TEXAS GAS <br /> GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS <br /> APPLICABLE TO NATURAL GAS SERVICE IN TEXAS <br /> FOR JURISDICTIONS FOR WHICH TARIFF IS APPROVED ON OR AFTER MAY 23,2017 <br /> with rules for prompt payment of bills. Subject to these rules,a residential applicant shall <br /> not be required to make a deposit; <br /> (A) if the residential applicant has been a customer of any utility for the same kind <br /> of service within the last two years and is not delinquent in payment of any such <br /> utility service account and during the last twelve consecutive months of service <br /> did not have more than one occasion in which a bill for such utility service was <br /> paid after becoming delinquent and never had service disconnected for <br /> nonpayment;or <br /> (B) if the residential applicant furnishes in writing a satisfactory guarantee to secure <br /> payment of bills for the service required; <br /> (C) if the residential applicant demonstrates a satisfactory credit rating by <br /> appropriate means, including but not limited to, the production of generally <br /> acceptable credit cards,letters of credit reference,the names of credit references <br /> which may be quickly and inexpensively contacted by the utility, or ownership <br /> of substantial equity. <br /> (b) Reestablishment of credit. Every applicant who has previously been a customer of the Company <br /> and whose service has been discontinued for nonpayment of bills shall be required before service <br /> is rendered to pay all his amounts due the Company or execute a written deferred payment <br /> agreement,if offered,and reestablish credit as provided herein. <br /> (c) Amount of deposit and interest for residential service and exemption from deposit. <br /> (1) The required residential deposit shall not exceed an amount equivalent to one-sixth of the <br /> estimated annual billings(rounded up to the nearest$5.00). If actual use is at least twice <br /> the amount of the estimated billings,a new deposit requirement may be calculated and an <br /> additional deposit may be required within two days. If such additional deposit is not <br /> made,the Company may disconnect service under the standard disconnection procedure <br /> for failure to comply with deposit requirements. <br /> Estimated Annual Billings as such term is used in this Section shall be either(i)the 12- <br /> month billing history at the service address involved(if a billing history is available for <br /> the service address),or(ii)the average annual residential bill in the Division serving the <br /> customer(if a billing history is not available at the service address);provided,that such <br /> average annual residential bill determined pursuant to clause (ii) hereof, shall be <br /> determined periodically but no less frequently than annually. <br /> (2) All applicants for residential service who are sixty-five years of age or older will be <br /> considered as having established credit if such applicant does not have an outstanding <br /> account balance with the Company or another utility for the same utility service which <br /> accrued within the last two years. No cash deposit shall be required of such applicant <br /> under these conditions. <br />