Critical Care & Critical Load Information

CUSTOMERS

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) provide that certain customers may be eligible for designations as Critical Care or Chronic Care (Residential) or a Critical Load Public Safety or Industrial Customer (Non-Residential). 

This designation does not guarantee that these accounts are exempt from planned service interruptions or Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) load shed (rolling outage) events. Registered customer are not exempt from their financial responsibilities to pay timely for electric utility services provided or from potential termination of service in accordance with City of Burnet policies. Whenever necessary, arrangements should be made for on-site back-up capabilities or other alternatives in the event of loss of electric service. 

Critical Care and Chronic Condition

Our Residential Critical Care and Chronic Condition Program is a registry of residential service locations where people rely on life-sustaining electrically powered medical equipment. When planned outages or service interruptions for nonpayment are scheduled, we will make all reasonable efforts to provide advance notice so preparations can be made.

Chronic Condition:

Having been diagnosed by a physician as requiring an electric-powered device (or heating or cooling of the home) to prevent the impairment of major life function. To maintain chronic designation, customers must reapply once a year. 

Chronic, lifelong:

Same as chronic, but does not require annual application.

Critical Care:

Having been diagnosed by a physician as requiring an electric-powered device to sustain life. To maintain a critical care designation, customers must reapply every two years.

Critical Care, lifelong:

Same as critical care, but does not require biennial application.

Critical Load Public Safety or Industrial

The Critical Load Public Safety or Industrial Customers Program is a registry of public safety accounts that include hospitals, water/wastewater facilities, police & fire stations and other industrial and natural gas facilities that meet certain criteria and are crucial to the preservation of health, safety, and welfare in the community. 

Who Qualifies:

To qualify, the account must meet criteria established for these types of accounts using Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) guidelines.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• This application must be completed to obtain Chronic or Critical Care designation.
• This application will not be processed if incomplete, unreadable, or improperly submitted.
• All information is required, unless otherwise indicated.
• Submission of this application does not automatically result in Critical Care or Chronic designation.
• Customer will be notified upon approval and when the designation is due for renewal.
• Pursuant to the Tariff and Business Rules of the City, designation as a Chronic or Critical Care residential customer does not relieve a customer of the obligation to pay for electric service, and service may be disconnected for failure to pay.
• Chronic or Critical Care designation does not guarantee continuous electric power.
• If electricity is necessary to sustain life, you must make other arrangements for on-site back-up capabilities or other alternatives in the event of power loss.
• It is important that we have the most current phone number and mailing address on record.

How do I Apply?

You can apply online or download an application (listed below) to complete and return.