Cities like Madison and progressive groups have urged the commission to extend its moratorium on utility disconnections, arguing people can't stay safe or thrive without service. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. 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. of King v. Ne. Pa. utility shut-off notice: Here's what you can do if you're at risk. But this part-time warehouse worker says she was battling COVID, and was out of work for weeks. This is true even if you are behind on rent. Boeings CEO is missing out on a $7 million bonus because the companys new large jet is behind schedule, Louisiana Gov. But tens of millions of people are continuing to accumulate tens of billions of dollars of overdue utility bills. If you need help paying your utility bills or your arrears, visit the Board of Public Utilities' Assistance Programs page. Customers with higher income levels will be offered payment plans of at least one or two years. Most of the assistance is provided through new, emergency programs, although some is provided through pre-existing programs. Utilities will continue to provide assistance programs. PSC Chair Rebecca Cameron Valcq highlighted the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin. Energy utilities will apply for CAPP assistance on behalf of customers who incurred a past due balance of 60 days or more on their energy bill during the COVID-19 pandemic relief period covering March 4, 2020 through June 15, 2021. Since it has not been referenced in any subsequent proclamations, the guidance may not have any legal effect. On June 14, Governor Murphy announced that the moratorium on utility service shutoffs will end as of July 1, 2021. At least one of those states (Wisconsin) is set to end its moratorium on April 15, placing over 20,000 households at risk of shutoff. Any utilities who may disconnect service once the winter moratorium ends would also have to submit those plans to regulators by Feb. 15. CPUC Industry Divisions will accept the submittal of Advice Letters and related documents by electronic mail. 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. Any person who is making good faith efforts should never have their services shut off, he said. A lock icon ( New Jersey also has a COVID-19 Hotline staffed by trained healthcare professionals who are standing by to answer your questions, 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week: To receive email updates from NJBPU,sign up here. When the remaining state or local moratoria are lifted, residential water customers who lose shutoff protections will face billions of dollars in arrears. Under state law, water utilities can still collect past-due bills by putting those expenses onto the property tax roll. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Customers can opt out of the plan if they want. Source: Executive Order No. Income eligibility is evaluated based on your gross household income for the past 4 weeks. The decision means that utilities will not be able to shut off water, power or heat during the winter months. The extension of the moratorium on shutoffs has been met with frustration by some, including Jason Bessette, general manager of New London Utilities. You can alsofile a consumer complaintwith the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division or by calling our hotline at 617-727-8400. "It's just very difficult that the PSC wouldn't allow us to use our same tools," said Bessette. of King v. Ne. Illinois utilities shut off moratorium ends Wednesday; how to get help 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. Help with Utilities | Texas Law Help However, if a customer misses more than two payments in their COVID-19 relief plan, they can be kicked out of the plan. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission voted 2 to 1 to ban all utility disconnections until next April. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy To leave anyone, especially children who rely on utilities to attend virtual school, without electricity or heat is unconscionable when these companies have guaranteed income and millions in revenue.. Also ask your electric or gas utility if you qualify for an arrearage forgiveness program or any other payment assistance program. Take steps to reduce your overall energy usage this winter, which should in turn help you lower your utility bill. If you are a customer of a municipal utility, call your municipal utility immediately to ask about any assistance programs that may be available. All rights reserved. Ellen Nowak opposed the decision to prevent all water shutoffs during the winter months. Utility Late Fee/Shutoff Moratorium Expires September 30: Now What. 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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 This blog is co-authored by Larry Levine (NRDC) and Olivia Wein (National Consumer Law Center). Utilities also offer another way to stay on top of your bills called budget billing. "I just want some time to get my money," she said. PUC Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille said its time to return to the regular collections process.. 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. Tony Evers invested $15 million in CARES Act funding to the state's Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program in order to help residents pay their heating bills. A federal program can help. The program protects specific categories of customers from having their gas or electric shut off between November 15 and March 15 of each year. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. However, the question remains as to what actions local utilities can take to collect past-due amounts. Fields, meanwhile, has applied for pandemic aid through the state. Can I get help paying my utilities? The Governor's Executive Order establishes a six-month grace period in which no residential customer will face disconnection of their gas, electric, or water services before the end of the grace period on December 31, 2021. For collection of delinquent amounts by water-sewer districts, the procedures in RCW 57.08.081control. But many utility companies have said without the threat of a shut-off notice, their bills would go unpaid. Can a power company turn off power? The Wolf Administration is working to get money provided by the December stimulus package and the American Rescue Plan in March out to qualifying renters and utility customers as quickly as possible to help with overdue balances, the governors press secretary Lyndsay Kensinger said. If you are served by a municipal utility, it may or may not be shutting off customers for unpaid bills. Steve Gross 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. States should heed the same recommendations as they set up their own programs to administer LIHWAP funds. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, state and local governments have barred utility companies from shutting off services such as gas, electric and water. Many customers financial situations have changed during the pandemic. The more you pay now the less you will have to make up later. One water system has already said that it will resume shutoffs the next day. April 23, 2020: CPUC held a workshop on Impacts of COVID-19 on Customer-Oriented Clean Energy Program. The commissioners did not heed that call. The proclamations also did not prohibit any utility from disconnecting water, power, or telecommunications service if the customer does not comply with the terms of a payment plan. 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. She's argued for more targeted solutions to provide assistance to customers in need, highlighting that utilities are required to work out a down payment plan with customers during the pandemic. Kathy Hochul announced the vast majority of $567 million dedicated to help low-income electric and gas utility customers pay off past utility bills will be reflected on customers' August bills. 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. For small business customers of an investor-owned utility, enrolling in a payment plan may protect your business from electric or gas shut off if you cannot afford your current balance. Thanks for signing up. Consumer advocates want to make sure all utilities are required to offer longer payment plans and forgive debt. Water and electrical services have a statutory lien under RCW 35.21.290, but enforcement of the lien is limited to shutting off the utility by RCW 35.21.300. Automatic renewals often lead to customers paying higher rates. Gavin Newsom went into effect in March 2020, the utilities commission announced power companies could not disconnect services to customers for one year. Additionally, the period in which the lien may be imposed was amended this year by the legislature (see HB 1069, section 15). The commission, known as the CPUC for short, extended the moratorium earlier this year but it was set to run out June 30. Medical Information from healthcare professionals on symptoms, when to seek medical attention, and proper steps to take if exposed to COVID-19. Click here for more on competitive electric suppliers. Massachusetts consumers should also take steps to avoid an automatic renewal of their supply contract. If you are a residential customer struggling to pay your utility bills, behind on your payments, or interested in more regular payments, reach out to your electric or gas utility to discuss available payment plans and payment assistance programs that may be available. Most significantly, for the first time ever, Congress in December 2020 and March 2021 appropriated funds specifically for low-income water and wastewater assistance a total of $1.138 billion for an emergency Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). With one call or click you can get a personalized answer from one of our trusted attorneys, policy consultants, or finance experts! Category: If you do not qualify for a low-income program, contact your electric or gas utility to learn about deferred payment arrangements. April 1, 2021: Electric, gas, and water utilities submit final Emergency Utility Customer Protection Transition Plan Advice Letters to CPUC. In California, the reported $1 billion in overdue residential bills includes about $600 million for customers of water utilities or combined water/sewer utilities, and about $400 million for customers who receive a combined bill for water and power from the same utility. We will be monitoring very closely the extent to which state and federal funding efforts address the debt that consumers face, Rechtschaffen said. If you are having trouble paying your electric, sewer, or water bills, you may be eligible to avoid disconnection through the Winter Termination Program. Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order Protecting Homes, Small He also has been a legal policy advisor for the Pierce County Council and has worked in contract administration. For more information, please visit https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. John Bel Edwards is traveling to Asia for a weeklong series of meetings with business leaders and policymakers in the hopes of growing foreign investment, Stocks rallied on Wall Street, climbing to their biggest gain in six weeks, Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |. We want all Massachusetts residents to be aware of thenew and expanded programs available to assist them in paying their home heating bills. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, A map from the National Association of Utility Regulators (NARUC).