Chronic Condition, Critical Care, & Critical Load
The Customer Protection Rules of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) provide that certain customers may be eligible for designation as Critical Care or Chronic Condition Customer (Residential) or a Critical Load Public Safety or Critical Load Industrial Customer (Non-Residential).
Please be aware that this designation does not guarantee an uninterrupted, regular, or continuous power supply. If electricity is a necessity, you must make other arrangements for on-site backup capabilities or other alternatives in the event of loss of electric service.
For more information regarding eligibility, please see the Customer Protection Rules for Electric Service or contact Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC).
Chronic Condition & Critical Care (Residential)
Chronic Condition Residential Customer: A residential customer who has a person permanently residing in his or her home who has been diagnosed by a physician as having a serious medical condition that requires an electric-powered medical device or electric heating or cooling to prevent the impairment of a major life function through a significant deterioration or exacerbation of the person’s medical condition.
If that serious medical condition is diagnosed or re-diagnosed by a physician as a life-long condition, the designation is effective under this section for the shorter of 1 year or until such time as the person with the medical condition no longer resides in the home. Otherwise, the designation or re-designation is effective for 90 days.
Critical Care Residential Customer: A residential customer who has a person permanently residing in his or her home who has been diagnosed by a physician as being dependent upon an electric-powered medical device to sustain life. The designation or redesignation is effective for 2 years under this section.
To Apply
A copy of the BEC application and instructions are also provided here for your convenience.
For more information regarding eligibility, please see the Customer Protection Rules for Electric Service or contact your BEC.
Critical Load (Non-Residential)
Critical Load Public Safety Customer: A customer for whom electric service is considered crucial for the protection or maintenance of public safety, including but not limited to hospitals, police stations, fire stations, and critical water and wastewater facilities.
Critical Load Industrial Customer: An industrial customer for whom an interruption or suspension of electric service will create a dangerous or life-threatening condition on the retail customer’s premises, is a “critical load industrial customer.”
To Apply
Please contact BEC at (866) 226-3372 or submit a Request For Critical Load Status by completing the form below.