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A. The Commission shall, after notice and opportunity for hearing, initiate a proceeding to establish the rates, terms, and conditions of a non-bypassable universal service fee to fund the Percentage of Income Payment Program (PIPP). Such universal service fee shall be allocated to retail electric customers of a Phase I and Phase II Utility on the basis of the amount of kilowatt-hours used and be established at such level to adequately address the PIPP's objectives to (i) reduce the energy burden of eligible participants by limiting electric bill payments directly to no more than six percent of the eligible participant's annual household income if the household's heating source is anything other than electricity, and to no more than 10 percent of an eligible participant's annual household income on electricity costs if the household's heating source is electricity, and (ii) reduce the amount of electricity used by the eligible participant's household through participation in weatherization or energy efficiency programs and energy conservation education programs. B. The Commission shall determine the reasonable administrative costs for the investor-owned utility to collect the universal service fee and remit such funds to the Percentage of Income Payment Fund, and any other administrative costs the investor-owned utility may incur in complying with the PIPP, and shall determine the proper recovery mechanism for such costs. A Phase I and Phase II Utility shall not be eligible to earn a rate of return on any equity or costs incurred to comply with the program requirements or implementation. 2020, cc. 1193 , 1193 .
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