If you are struggling to pay your electric or gas utility bills, reach out to your utility to discuss available payment plans, arrearage forgiveness programs and other payment assistance programs. , Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said the regulator is trying to be responsive to this really dynamic situation that were in, in recovering from this pandemic.. Sign up today for a digital subscription. Wolf told commissioners he knew the moratorium couldnt continue indefinitely, but he urged them to continue the protections that are in place for low-income Pennsylvanians. As a quick refresher, take a look at MRSCs Collection Practices for Delinquent Utility Accountswebpage, our Utility Liens and Shutoffs Tool, and our February 22, 2021 blog:A Quick Guide to Utility Account Overcharges, Undercharges, and the Statute of Limitations. SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order that will restrict water shutoffs to homes and small businesses while the state responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. No, your landlord cannot shut off your utilities. Fields, meanwhile, has applied for pandemic aid through the state. You can check outcurrent and historic basic service rates here. The decision essentially meant gas and electric utilities would be barred from disconnecting service through April 15, since the state's winter moratorium takes effect Nov. 1. Visitwww.mass211.orgor dial 211 to find your local agency. We will 2023 Cox Media Group. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy Medical Information from healthcare professionals on symptoms, when to seek medical attention, and proper steps to take if exposed to COVID-19. More than 1 million customers were eligible for termination when Wolf sent the letter a month ago. If a small business enrolls in an electric or gas payment plan with its investor-owned utility company and the business makes its payments, it will be protected from electric or gas service disconnection for the duration of the payment plan. "I didn't have the $300 they needed," she said. However, the question remains as to what actions local utilities can take to collect past-due amounts. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Other CPUC Actions Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Power are taking the step until further notice. In addition, any Massachusetts consumer who signs a contract with a competitive supplier should actively monitor their electric supply costs each month to ensure the rate that the supplier charges them is the same rate that was agreed to under the contract. Auth. A recent report by Duke University researchers found that, if utility disconnections had been barred nationwide from March through November 2020, COVID-19 infections rates could have been reduced . As Californians are sheltering at home, residential electric usage has increased 15 to 20 percent in recent weeks compared to the same period last year. you should file a complaint with the Department of Public Utilities, current and historic basic service rates here, Frequently Asked Questions about Water Utilities During COVID-19, Contact the Attorney General's Office at (617) 727-2200. By comparison, about 12 percent of customers had past-due balances in April 2019, amounting to $184million. PSC Chair Rebecca Cameron Valcq highlighted the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin. Bessette said that puts utilities in a tough spot with landlords whose tenants can't or won't pay. In these unsettling and unprecedented times, many people are Meanwhile, utility customers have amassed large, unpaid bills, as a majority of the state has been working from home and using more energy. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. The New Jersey moratorium on gas and electric companies shutting off service due to non-payment during the coronavirus pandemic is set to expire at the end of the year and the state has sent . The risk of disconnection disproportionately harms communities of color. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. Hous. By February 25, 2021, IOUs shall submit drafts of Transition Plan Advice Letters to CPUC staff (, Jan. 22, 2021: Comments on Draft Resolution M-4849. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. On this webpage you will find information on what the CPUC She said utility workers shut off her electricity over the weekend for non-payment going back several months. However, you may want to stay with your community choice program this winter because many cities and towns currently have electricity rates that are lower than the rate available from the electric company. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Suggestions are presented as an open option list only when they are available. In the past year, the CPUC and the states utilities stepped up efforts to get eligible customers to sign up for the California Alternate Rates for Energy, or CARE, and the Family Electric Rates Assistance, or FERA programs. April 1, 2021: Electric, gas, and water utilities submit final Emergency Utility Customer Protection Transition Plan Advice Letters to CPUC. But since many utilities issue a combined utility bill it may be difficult to separate out services for which it can charge late fees from those it cannot. Murphy was set to sign an executive order Monday that ends the 15-month moratorium on utility shut-offs on July 1, but creates a grace period through Dec. 31 for residents to sign up for a. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Moratoriums on disconnects expiring across the US. Water Utilities Will Not Be Able To Disconnect Service After PSC Vote. He also has been a legal policy advisor for the Pierce County Council and has worked in contract administration. The CPUC is taking action to ensure that this does not become an added hardship for people who have lost their jobs or are otherwise suffering economically due to COVID-19, including, but not limited to: Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) Southern states are more frequently turning to pay-to-use express lanes as a way to address highway congestion without raising taxes. Plus, if they wish to accelerate or make larger payments, they may do so. But, thewinter moratorium doesnot apply to water utilities. Plus, more than half the amount owed comes from customers not enrolled in assistance programs that help defray utility bills. Note that the proclamations do not prohibit imposing some kind of monetary penalty for failing to comply with the provisions of a payment plan. Please see below for contact numbers for each investor-owned electric and gas utility. June 30, 2021: Emergency Customer Protections expire. The grace period for residential cable and internet for customers with school-aged children ended on December 31, 2021. Many residents are struggling to pay their bills, including their monthly utility bills, following the COVID-19 crisis and due to the currently high fossil fuel prices. Those enrolled in certain other programs (including Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, USF, and Lifeline) are protected by the Winter Termination Program. Changes for 2022 Annual Reporting for Cash Basis Entities, Integrating Best Available Science: New Tools for Land Use Planning & Emergency Management, resources for utility customers behind on their payments, Collection Practices for Delinquent Utility Accounts, A Quick Guide to Utility Account Overcharges, Undercharges, and the Statute of Limitations. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, Frequently Asked Questions about Electric and Gas Utilities, is, Frequently Asked Questions about Electric and Gas Utilities. Those figures were roughly the same in April 2018. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. This chart from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)provides more detailed household income information. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income homeowners and renters pay for utility and heating bills. Gov. Lt. Gov. Links to the 2020 briefing decks presented to CPUC and CAL FIRE can be found on the utility websites below. A second possibility is that you are receiving supply from a competitive supplier that markets and sells to individual customers. If one of these suppliers is on your bill, it is possible that one of these companies switched your electricity supply without your permission. It appears that sewer and storm utilities are not prohibited from charging late fees and interest (depending on the utilitys rate schedule) for any past-due amounts. Auth. Residential customers making payments under payment plans with their investor-owned electric or gas utility will remain protected from shut-off as long as they make payments under the payment schedule. 8, even as sewage contamination led to closures for 35 days last year. But she learned that if you fall behind on those payment plans, it can be lights out. Electric and gas utility contact information is provided below: You can considercontacting Mass Savefor an energy efficiency audit. She cited lower unemployment and COVID-19 infection rates, and pointed to the latest federal stimulus among the reasons the moratorium could be lifted. Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Preparation Plans The CPUCs oversight consists of ensuring that the utilities are clear about the rules they must adhere to, monitoring the utilities preparation, and evaluating their implementation. CAPP will be administered by the Department of Community Services and Development (CSD). That guidance was incorporated into Proclamation 20-23.6 to help utilities create their own programs. Upcoming TrainingsAttend our live webinars, virtual workshops, and in-person trainings to learn about key local government issues! Massachusetts consumers should also take steps to avoid an automatic renewal of their supply contract. According to research at Indiana University that looked at a nationally representative sample of households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, 20% of Black households and 28% of Hispanic households reported being unable to pay an energy bill between June and August 2020, compared to just 12% of white households. Under state law, water utilities can still collect past-due bills by putting those expenses onto the property tax roll. If you received a shut-off notice from your electric or gas utility, call your utility immediately and ask to enroll in a payment plan. The fact sheet also describes five other relevant programs: You can download the fact sheethereor view it below. The proclamations said that customers "shall not be charged" late fees for energy, telecommunications, or water services between March 23, 2020, and September 30, 2021. If a customer account is eligible, a credit will be automatically applied to the customer bill. For more information, visit:https://www.dhs.pa.gov/coronavirus/Pages/Emergency-Rental-Assistance-Program.aspx, More:Fully vaccinated Pennsylvanians can gather without masks, but only in these situations, More:COVID-19 vaccine motivation: Krispy Kreme is giving away free doughnuts for showing vaccination card. Editor's note: This blog has been updated to remove references tostate guidance related to the creation of COVID-19 customer support programs. The order also applies to small-business customers who have bills at least 60 days past due. Find information on what the CPUC and utilities under its jurisdiction are doing to support communities during these challenging times. Customers should make payments toward their utility bills if they can. You can alsofile a consumer complaintwith the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division or by calling our hotline at 617-727-8400. To learn about these payment programs, and whether they are offered by your utility, please contact your utility. Illinois' moratorium on utility shut-offs during the COVID-19 pandemic ends Wednesday, but there is still help available for anyone who needs assistance paying bills. You should also closely review your electric and gas utility bills to determine whether you are buying your electric or gas supply from your utility or from another entity, often called a competitive supplier. Those moratoriums are running out, and thousands of unemployed people plus others still battling COVID-19 are running out of options. Have a problem?Send me an email, at jmatarese@wcpo.com or message me on Facebook. Nearly one-third of residential customers among the state's five largest utilities had past-due bills as of August, according to data provided to the commission. A utility company generally can't turn off the heat, electricity or power during cold or hot weather. Most states passed emergency laws banning evictions and utility shutoffs during the pandemic. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The fact sheet provides a guide for advocates, utilities, and state and local officials who are seeking to help customers with past due and unaffordable water and sewer bills. One possibility is that you are participating in your city or towns community choice electric plan. With one call or click you can get a personalized answer from one of our trusted attorneys, policy consultants, or finance experts! The policy should provide clear criteria for allowing the debt to be written off and should apply to all types of accounts receivable (water, sewer, garbage, court fines, and other fees and charges that the utility may impose). Between November 15th and March 15th, residential customers are protected from utility shut off, At all other times, if you are experiencing financial hardship. But utilities will have to balance their need to maintain their revenue stream with the reality that some of their customers may not have the ability to pay the past-due debt and keep up with current expenses. The Proclamation 20-23 series (the proclamations) only applied to energy, telecommunications, or water services. San Diego Gas & Electric residential customer bills. You may be able to pause mortgage payments, credit card bills, bank fees and more during the pandemic. Do we have to have a location open during this time to accept papers? Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, https://www.dhs.pa.gov/coronavirus/Pages/Emergency-Rental-Assistance-Program.aspx, Fully vaccinated Pennsylvanians can gather without masks, but only in these situations, COVID-19 vaccine motivation: Krispy Kreme is giving away free doughnuts for showing vaccination card, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. There is no similar prohibition for sewer or storm water services. California Public Utilities Commission It allowed utilities to resume shutoffs on Nov. 9 but the ban was lifted for only three weeks before the annual winter shut-off went into effect on Dec. 1. The policy should consider the variables for each type of receivable with specific criteria and internal controls in place to assure that the utilitys assets (receivables) are being safeguarded. coronavirus State regulators on Tuesday extended protections against utility cutoffs for people who cant pay through April 30, 2021. But Dutrieuille and the commission approved a motion that will allow customers to stretch out payment plans and keep on their services. In other words, they do not prohibit your payment plans from including interest or late fees for missing a payment after the effective date of the payment plan. The Utilities and Transportation Commission also. The four-month lien limit on water services (enforceable only by water shut-off) is extended by: The period in which the lien may be imposed is the later of: (a) Three months from the expiration of the emergency declaration preventing collection or a lien; or (b) Three months of the ratepayer's failure to abide by the terms of an agreed payment plan, if the payment plan for past due charges would have allowed the ratepayer to repay the past due charges over a period of six months or more. In addition to your utility, you can contact the Department of Public Utilitiesat877-886-5066, or completetheir online complaint form. Small businesses and nonprofits can apply for SBA disaster assistance programs online or seek assistance from SBAs Customer Service Center at 1-800-569-2955/1-800-877-8339 (TTY). In the case of small businesses in disadvantaged communities, the payment cannot exceed 5 percent of the customers average monthly bill. Under the terms of the CPUC's vote, utility companies will automatically enroll residential customers who are more than 60 days behind on their energy bills to a "COVID-19 Residential Relief. of Cty. With expanded income eligibility for some programs, more New Jerseyans are now eligible for utility assistance. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and This new law provides several important safeguards for residential utility customers by: prohibiting shutoffs during the COVID-19 state of emergency for non-payment of a utility bill;. SBA COVID-19 Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources, California Department of Public Health (CDPH), California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), News and Outreach Office To help bridge this divide, the CPUC approved a partnership with the Department of Education to fund $5 million in devices for students in need. 246; https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562021/approved/20211222a.shtml; https://www.nj.gov/bpu/newsroom/reports/covid19/Moratorium_Ending_FAQs_061421.pdf. He said they're trying to work with customers on payment plans, but the decision means some customers will have $4,000 in outstanding bills by next April. PRA/OPMA E-Learning Courses Free video courses for city/town elected officials on the Public Records Act (PRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). Maintaining access to water and other essential utility services remains as vital as ever to safeguard public health, as the pandemic continues. Inflation and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine are driving up fossil fuel prices and in turn energy rates for customers across the country this winter. Is there a process for cities to write-off bad debt? A lock icon ( Candy Woodall is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania Capital Bureau. Boeings CEO is missing out on a $7 million bonus because the companys new large jet is behind schedule, Louisiana Gov. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, A map from the National Association of Utility Regulators (NARUC). Customers should consider the following: Replaced outdated light bulbs with ENERGY STAR certified light bulbs. Please visit theCSD websitefor more information. Most states passed emergency laws banning evictions and utility shutoffs during the pandemic. LIHEAP is available this winter heating season from November 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. State officials recommend anyone with a shut-off notice to set up a plan now with their electric, gas or water provider. The utility shutoff grace period ended on March 15, 2022 for all water, electric, and sewer customers. May 7, 2020: Free and affordable Internet access and devices are crucial for low income students as they transition to learning from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. PG&E is submitting separate biweekly corrective action progress reports that can be found on the docket card of the CPUCs Public Safety Power Shutoffrulemaking. Governor Inslee issuedProclamation 20-23.16 on July 2, 2021, which extended the utility shutoff moratorium through September 30, 2021. Most of the assistance is provided through new, emergency programs, although some is provided through pre-existing programs. The proclamations required these utilities to developCOVID-19 customer support programsthat would address payment plan options for residential customers who are in arrears due to COVID-19-related circumstances. Are we in violation of a law if we do not have a location that is open to the public to serve? The Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to end the moratorium. 1990)]. Henry McMaster urged the companies in a . In this post, well focus on what effect (if any) the proclamations have on your existing collections process. Information on testing, vaccines, and help finding appointments near you. Steve has worked in municipal law and government for over 20 years as an Assistant City Attorney for Lynnwood, Seattle, Tacoma, and Auburn, and as the City Attorney for Port Townsend and Auburn. So even before there was a mandate to do so, we voluntarily suspended disconnections in early March, said Janet Kim, of PSE. Please visit the CSD website for more information. The decision means that utilities will not be able to shut off water, power or heat during the winter months. https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562021/approved/20211222a.shtml, https://www.nj.gov/bpu/newsroom/reports/covid19/Moratorium_Ending_FAQs_061421.pdf. The good news: After we confirmed to Fields' provider that she would be getting pandemic aid to pay the bill, the utility agreed to restore her electricity. Try now to get LIHEAP funds, Dollar Energy Fund help or emergency assistance, they said. Income eligibility is evaluated based on your gross household income for the past 4 weeks.
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