(A) Within thirty days after the date of issuance of an order approving an exemption or alternative rate plan under section 4929.04 or 4929.05 of the Revised Code or within twenty days after the issuance of a rehearing entry pursuant to section 4903.10 of the Revised Code, whichever is later, the natural gas company shall do either of the following:

(1) File with the public utilities commission a notice of its intention to implement the exemption or alternative rate plan as directed by the commission in its order, and a copy of its revised rate schedules;

(2) Withdraw its exemption application or alternative rate plan request if the commission modifies or does not approve as filed the exemption application or the alternative rate plan request.

(B) If a natural gas company files a notice and revised schedules pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section, the commission, within thirty days after the date of the filing, shall do either of the following:

(1) Approve the revised schedules if the commission finds that there is no material difference between the approved alternative rate plan and the filed schedules;

(2) Disapprove the revised schedules if the commission finds that there is a material difference between the approved alternative rate plan and the filed revised schedules. If the commission disapproves the revised schedules, it shall provide a written order explaining its reasons for doing so, and it shall permit the company an additional thirty days to file revised rate schedules to implement the approved alternative rate plan or permit the company to withdraw the alternative rate plan pursuant to division (A)(2) of this section.

(C) If a natural gas company withdraws its exemption application or alternative rate plan request pursuant to division (A)(2) of this section, the commission's order regarding the application, or the portion of the commission's order regarding the plan, is void, and, in the case of the withdrawal of an alternative rate plan, the rates and charges found under section 4929.05 of the Revised Code by the commission to be just and reasonable pursuant to section 4909.15 of the Revised Code shall be effective as of the date the company files final rate schedules containing those rates and charges.

(D) If an order concerning an application filed with the commission for an exemption under section 4929.04 of the Revised Code has not been issued within one hundred eighty days after the date of the application's acceptance by the commission, the exemption may be placed into effect subject to the final order of the commission. If an order concerning an application filed with the commission for alternative rate regulation under section 4929.05 of the Revised Code has not been issued within two hundred seventy-five days after the date of the application's acceptance by the commission, the rates and charges and the alternative rate plan proposed in the application may be placed into effect by the natural gas company, subject to refund of amounts collected that exceed those authorized by the commission's final order. If a final order has not been issued within three hundred sixty-five days after the date of the application's filing, the natural gas company shall have no obligation to make a refund of amounts collected after the three hundred sixty-fifth day that exceed those authorized by the commission's final order. The commission may require an undertaking to secure the refund under this division if it finds it is warranted by the financial condition of the company.

(E) In no event shall the commission reduce or require the reduction of any rate or charge for a service that is exempt or for which alternative rate regulation has been granted by the commission under section 4929.04 or 4929.05 of the Revised Code, provided that the natural gas company is in substantial compliance with the policy of this state specified in section 4929.02 of the Revised Code. If a reduction of any rate or charge is required by the terms of an alternative rate plan approved under section 4929.05 of the Revised Code, the commission shall require it.

Effective Date: 09-17-1996 .