"I think that we could have been narrower, help those in need, prevent people from digging a bigger hole than they're already in, and eventually driving up rates for everybody," said Nowak. How to apply for rent and utility bill assistance in Texas But tens of millions of people are continuing to accumulate tens of billions of dollars of overdue utility bills. The decision means that utilities will not be able to shut off water, power or heat during the winter months. The decision also calls on utilities to document follow-up efforts with community-based organizations to make sure hard-to-reach customers can sign up for relief programs. Please visit theCSD websitefor more information. The risk of disconnection disproportionately harms communities of color. Frequently Asked Questions about Electric and Gas Utilities Auth. Commissioners said utility companies may forgive a portion of the debt for low-income customers who stay current on their payments. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Customers who need payment assistance should contact their utility as soon as possibleto ask about Deferred Payment Agreements (DPAs), and to learn what other assistance is available. Those figures were roughly the same in April 2018. In the past MRSC has written that a utility is required to collect a past-due amount and that failing to do so may violate Article VIII section 7of the state constitution, which prohibits a government agency from gifting public funds. Do we have to have a location open during this time to accept papers? Other CPUC Actions 2023 www.goerie.com. We know this has been an extremely difficult time for our customers. The state regulator also approved a plan that requires utilities including San Diego Gas & Electric to automatically enroll customers who are lagging on monthly payments into a two-year debt relief program. Even without the moratorium on shutoffs, most utility companies have been generous this year. Use this button to show and access all levels. Customers with higher income levels will be offered payment plans of at least one or two years. The financial effect of the pandemic has hit utility customers hard in California, a state that is home to one of the highest electricity rates in the country. 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. The bill also extends the time for cities and counties to impose a sewage lien: A sewage lien may exceed six months' delinquent charges without the necessity of any writing or recording if collection of charges was impacted by the declaration of an emergency by the governor. of Cty. You, or someone in your home, is seriously ill; You have an infant under 12 months in your home; and, All adults in the home are age 65 or older, Customers who are interested in installing solar panels or enrolling with community solar programs should visit the AGs Office FAQ with consumer tips at, This chart from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), In addition to requesting assistance from your electric or gas utility, residential customers should also contact their local community action agency, as there may be funds available to assist households who earn more than 60 % of the state median income, but still need assistance paying their bills. Using Electronic Signatures During Emergencies, Woodward says Spokane economic recovery continues, but problems loom. The order also applies to small-business customers who have bills at least 60 days past due. The Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to end the moratorium. The program protects specific categories of customers from having their gas or electric shut off between November 15 and March 15 of each year. Gov. It may also violate the prohibition againstdiscriminating among similarly situated ratepayers [Hous. Last month, regulators voted 2 to 1 to extend a temporary moratorium on utility shutoffs during the COVID-19 crisis for residential customers until Nov. 1. 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. 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. Consumer advocates want to make sure all utilities are required to offer longer payment plans and forgive debt. Additionally, the period in which the lien may be imposed was amended this year by the legislature (see HB 1069, section 15). You can alsofile a consumer complaintwith the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division or by calling our hotline at 617-727-8400. Massachusetts consumers should also take steps to avoid an automatic renewal of their supply contract. She also noted that the 9,500 customers represented the number of meters that would be shut off, and that more people whoresided in any of those households were also at risk of losing service. April 23, 2020: CPUC held a workshop on Impacts of COVID-19 on Customer-Oriented Clean Energy Program. Where available, the fact sheet provides links to federal program webpages and funding allocations to state, territorial, Tribal, and local grantees. Visithereor the Cold Relief Heatline at (800) 632-8175 to find your local community action agency where you can apply for LIHEAP. San Diego Gas & Electric residential customer bills. Gavin Newsom went into effect in March 2020, the utilities commission announced power companies could not disconnect services to customers for one year. As past-due balances grow, the commission is asking gas, electric and water utilities to submit comprehensive plans for dealing with delinquent bills by Jan. 15. 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. The order protects consumers who may not be able to pay for their water service from shutoffs. She is borrowing electricity from down the hall to keep her food from spoiling. That guidance was incorporated into Proclamation 20-23.6 to help utilities create their own programs. 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. 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. DHCD has a toll-free hotline,1-800-632-8175, that is multi-language and will quickly direct you to your local community action agency that can help answer additional questions about eligibility and process your LIHEAP application. Information on testing, vaccines, and help finding appointments near you. 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. 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 The proclamations did not prohibit disconnecting sewer and storm services (if practical) for non-payment. So even before there was a mandate to do so, we voluntarily suspended disconnections in early March, said Janet Kim, of PSE. The AGO encourages you to contact your electric or gas utility if the recent COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted your household income because you may be newly eligible for other assistance programs. 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. 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. Utility Collection Deferrals, Shutoffs, and Payment Plans. Those balances amounted to $235.7 million. March 17, 2020: CPUC Ensures Essential Utility Services for Consumers to Assist in COVID-19 Mitigation. She cited lower unemployment and COVID-19 infection rates, and pointed to the latest federal stimulus among the reasons the moratorium could be lifted. 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. 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. Anyone facing eviction should seek legal assistance, go to . Governor Inslee issuedProclamation 20-23.16 on July 2, 2021, which extended the utility shutoff moratorium through September 30, 2021. Henry McMaster urged the companies in a . Earlier this month, Gov. Click here for more on competitive electric suppliers. San Diego International Airport received the $20 million grant as part of the governments Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Pa. lifts moratorium on pandemic shutoffs and allows utilities to If one of these suppliers is on your bill, it is possible that one of these companies switched your electricity supply without your permission. In accordance with the approved plans, utilities are communicating with customers about imminent protection expiration, providing support to customers transitioning off of customer protections, and helping customers enroll in applicable assistance programs. If you are homebound, you may request a home visit to apply for HEAP. Hous. 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. NJ residents must make utility bill payments by 2021 or risk shut-offs MRSC has consolidated additional information in the Utility Collection Deferrals, Shutoffs, and Payment Plans section of our COVID-19 Small Business and Tenant Assistance Programs webpage. The number of people affected is alarming, according to a letter sent to the commission from Gov. (Since interest is generally considered to be a penalty for non-payment it is probably included in "late fees.") There is no similar prohibition for sewer or storm water services. Utilities - Billing and Collection. Medical Information from healthcare professionals on symptoms, when to seek medical attention, and proper steps to take if exposed to COVID-19. 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. LIHEAP is available this winter heating season from November 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Most of the assistance is provided through new, emergency programs, although some is provided through pre-existing programs. Bills You Don't Have to Pay During the Coronavirus Pandemic "I asked a neighbor if I could plug in an extension cord to my refrigerator, just to keep it cold so I don't lose my groceries," she said. Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Preparation Plans Auth. (Allied organizations have also submitted similar recommendations to HHS, including a letter organized by frontline advocates that NRDC also joined.). State officials recommend anyone with a shut-off notice to set up a plan now with their electric, gas or water provider. , 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 . An additional "catch-all" category is also included for those who are unable to pay their utility bills because of circumstances beyond their control, such as unemployment or illness. "I'm charging my cell phone in my truck when I can. 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 |. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy Upcoming TrainingsAttend our live webinars, virtual workshops, and in-person trainings to learn about key local government issues! 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. San Francisco, CA 94102, Utility Business Continuity Plans and PSPS Preparation, CPUC Mobilizes Community Based Organizations for Pilot Program To Help Consumers With Utility Debt, CPUC Executive Director Letter Concerning Extension of Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service Through February 15, 2022, CPUC Acts To Ensure Essential Utility Services for Consumers at Risk of Disconnections, CPUC Actions to Protect Customers During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Utility Disconnection Moratoria and Arrearage Management - Presentation at CPUC Voting Meeting, CPUC Executive Director Letter Extending Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service through September 30, 2021, CPUC Provides Relief for Customers Who Have Energy Bill Debt, https://liob.cpuc.ca.gov/m-4849-utility-transition-plans/, Executive Director Letter to IOUs on Direction to Conduct Customer Data Validation for Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Executive Director Letter Extending Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service (Resolution M-4848) Through July 15, 2021, CPUC Extends Emergency Utility Customer Protections and Takes Further Action To Address Energy Arrearages During COVID-19, California Cable & Telecommunications Association, CPUC Implements Consumer Protections to Assist Residential and Small Business Customers, Workshop on COVID-19 Impacts on Customers in the Energy Sector, President Batjer Letter to AT&T regarding Legacy DSL Services Retirement, CPUC Letter to ISPs re: Affordable Broadband Plan Subscription Information, Remarks on COVID-19 Actions from Energy Division Deputy Executive Director, CPUC Letter to Program Administrators on Guidance on Energy Efficiency and Energy Savings Assistance Program Suspensions, CPUC Issues Proposal for Additional Customer Protections Due to Non-Payment, CPUC Letter to ISPs on Affordable Broadband Plans to Support Customers Affected by the COVID-19 State of Emergency. 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. One water system has already said that it will resume shutoffs the next day. "I guess the first day he could file for eviction, he did it," she told us after receiving an eviction notice. In the case of small businesses in disadvantaged communities, the payment cannot exceed 5 percent of the customers average monthly bill. 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. To be eligible for your electric or gas utilitys low-income discount rate program or the arrearage management program (AMP), you must either qualify for LIHEAP funding, or receive food, cash, or medical benefits from the state. "I just want some time to get my money," she said. She said utility workers shut off her electricity over the weekend for non-payment going back several months. States should heed the same recommendations as they set up their own programs to administer LIHWAP funds. Further, the prohibitions on disconnecting or refusing to reconnect these services was limited by the language of the proclamations to residential service, but the prohibition on charging late fees did not include that limitation. All rights reserved. At all other times, if you are experiencing financial hardshipandone of the following applies, your electric or gas cannot be shut off without permission from the Department of Public Utilities: In addition, payment plans are available to avoid shut off and manage utility bills.
