The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Consumer protection." The standards, practices and service protections for retail gas customers, including those provided for in 52 Pa. Code Ch. 56 (relating to standards and billing practices for residential utility service), as well as applicable Federal and State debt/credit collection statutes and any regulations or orders of the commission that provide such protections, as may be modified by the commission from time to time.

"Entity." A person or corporation as defined in section 102 (relating to definitions), including, for purposes of this chapter, a city natural gas distribution operation.

"Local commission." The local body or agency designated under applicable law as responsible for setting the rates and charges of a city natural gas distribution operation immediately prior to the date the commission assumes jurisdiction over the city natural gas distribution operation.

"Natural gas distribution company." A public utility or city natural gas distribution operation that provides natural gas distribution services and which may provide natural gas supply services and other services. For purposes of this chapter, this term does not include:

(1) any public utility subject to the jurisdiction of the commission which has annual gas operating revenues of less than $6,000,000 per year, except where the public utility voluntarily petitions the commission to be included within this definition or where the public utility seeks to provide natural gas supply services to retail gas customers outside its service territory; or

(2) any natural gas public utility subject to the jurisdiction of the commission that is not interconnected to an interstate gas pipeline by means of a direct connection or an indirect connection through the distribution system of another natural gas public utility or through a natural gas gathering system.

"Natural gas distribution service." The delivery of natural gas to retail gas customers utilizing the jurisdictional facilities of the natural gas distribution company.

"Natural gas supplier." An entity other than a natural gas distribution company, but including natural gas distribution company marketing affiliates, which provides natural gas supply services to retail gas customers utilizing the jurisdictional facilities of a natural gas distribution company. The term includes a natural gas distribution company that provides natural gas supply services outside its certificated service territories. The term includes a municipal corporation, its affiliates or any joint venture, to the extent that it chooses to provide natural gas supply services to retail customers located outside of its corporate or municipal limits, as applicable, other than:

(1) as provided prior to the effective date of this chapter, pursuant to a certificate of public convenience if required under this title;

(2) total natural gas supply services in de minimis amounts;

(3) natural gas supply services requested by or provided with the consent of the public utility in whose certificated territory the services are provided; or

(4) natural gas supply services provided to the municipal corporation itself or its tenants on land it owns or leases, or is subject to an agreement of sale or pending condemnation, as of September 1, 1999, to the extent permitted by applicable law independent of this chapter.

The term excludes an entity to the extent that it provides free gas to end-users under the terms of an oil or gas lease. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a natural gas supplier that is not a natural gas distribution company is not a public utility as defined in section 102 (relating to definitions) to the extent that the natural gas supplier is utilizing the jurisdictional distribution facilities of a natural gas distribution company or is providing other services authorized by the commission.

"Natural gas supply services."

(1) The term includes:

(i) the sale or arrangement of the sale of natural gas to retail gas customers; and

(ii) services that may be unbundled by the commission under section 2203(3) (relating to standards for restructuring of natural gas utility industry).

(2) The term does not include distribution service.

"Reliability." The term comprises adequacy and security. The term "adequacy" means the provision of sufficient volumes and deliverability of natural gas so as to supply the requirements of retail gas customers, taking into account peak and seasonal demands, as well as isolated market areas and system operation contingencies. The term "security" means designing, maintaining and operating a system so that it can safely handle extreme conditions as well as emergencies.

"Retail gas customer." A direct purchaser of natural gas supply services or natural gas distribution services, other than a natural gas supplier. The term excludes an occupant of a building or facility where the owner/operators manage the internal distribution system serving such building or facility and supply natural gas and other related services to occupants of the building or facility; where such owner/operators are direct purchasers of natural gas supply service; and where the occupants are not direct purchasers.

"Universal service and energy conservation." Policies, practices and services that help residential low-income retail gas customers and other residential retail gas customers experiencing temporary emergencies, as defined by the commission, to maintain natural gas supply and distribution services. The term includes retail gas customer assistance programs, termination of service protections and consumer protection policies and services that help residential low-income customers and other residential customers experiencing temporary emergencies to reduce or manage energy consumption in a cost-effective manner, such as the low-income usage reduction programs and consumer education.

Cross References. Section 2202 is referred to in sections 1307, 1317, 1318, 1403 of this title.