The PUC approved a motion that will allow customers to set up payment plans with their utility companies that could extend for five years for low-income families and at least 18 months for small businesses. The number of customers who havent paid their bills increased 14% in the last year, but the amount they owe increased 76%, according to the Energy Association of Pennsylvania. To learn about these payment programs, and whether they are offered by your utility, please contact your utility. Utilities resume the issuance of late payment notifications to customers and collection activities. 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. Water utilities were asked to submit any disconnection plans for review this month. Please do not include personal or contact information. 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. 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. More than 1 million customers were eligible for termination when Wolf sent the letter a month ago. 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. 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. Based on the plain language of the proclamations this is how we think they affect the utilities once the prohibitions expire. If you are a customer of a municipal utility, call your municipal utility immediately to ask about any assistance programs that may be available. The Washington State Department of Commerce has assembledresources for utility customers behind on their payments, and the Washington Department of Healths Office of Drinking Water has a customer assistance program. You can also go towww.heatinghelpma.orgto find more information about your local community action agency and eligibility. 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 . In such circumstances, a lien may be filed for all charges due during the period covered by the declaration and may be effective for six months after the expiration of the declaration of the emergency. Whats your favorite San Diego County beach? With clear criteria, the governing body can delegate the authority to write-off the debt to staff without further involvement from the governing body. https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562021/approved/20211222a.shtml, https://www.nj.gov/bpu/newsroom/reports/covid19/Moratorium_Ending_FAQs_061421.pdf. Help with Utilities | Texas Law Help Visitwww.mass211.orgor dial 211 to find your local agency. Why is my BGE bill so high 2021? An increase in your homes energy efficiency should result in lower utility bills over time. Utility Late Fee/Shutoff Moratorium Expires September 30: Now What. Receive MRSC's latest articles and analysis through our Weekly Insights e-newsletter. In this post, well focus on what effect (if any) the proclamations have on your existing collections process. With expanded income eligibility for some programs, more New Jerseyans are now eligible for utility assistance. of King v. Ne. 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. Nowak has previously urged the commission to work with the Evers administration to provide assistance to water customers in need through CARES Act funding. We know this has been an extremely difficult time for our customers. 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. Meanwhile, utility customers have amassed large, unpaid bills, as a majority of the state has been working from home and using more energy. Customers who are interested in installing solar panels or enrolling with community solar programs should visit the AGs Office FAQ with consumer tips at mass.gov/ago/solar. The state Department of Human Services has worked with counties to make available the money in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the $270 million infusion to LIHEAP from the federal American Relief Plan. If you are a small business customer that receives electric or gas service through a municipal utility, call your municipal utility to see what programs they offer to help avoid disconnection. 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. The Proclamation 20-23 series (the proclamations) only applied to energy, telecommunications, or water services. She cited lower unemployment and COVID-19 infection rates, and pointed to the latest federal stimulus among the reasons the moratorium could be lifted. 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. A lock icon ( Budget billing equalizes monthly payments over the course of 12 months so that you pay a predictable amount each month instead of seeing your bill amount fluctuate depending on the season, the price of energy, and customer usage. The California legislature approved the California Arrearage Payment Program (CAPP) in the 2021-2022 State Budget. "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. Between November 15th and March 15th, residential customers are protected from utility shut off if the utility service is needed to heat your home and you receive service from an investor-owned utility, such as Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, Liberty Utilities, or Berkshire Gas. Sign up today for a digital subscription. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Utilities in Wisconsin will once again be able to shut off services for customers who fail to pay their bills. Some page levels are currently hidden. Six utilities serving more than 21 million Californians have announced that they will not shut off customers' power for non-payment as the coronavirus continues to disrupt daily life. The grace period for residential cable and internet for customers with school-aged children ended on December 31, 2021. Your electric or gas utility may be able to arrange a new payment plan that you can afford and, at the same time, the utility can also check your eligibility to participate in a range of payment assistance programs (see discussion below about available residential electric or gas payment assistance programs). 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. BGE Customers With Disconnected Service Can Get Service Restored During COVID-19 Pandemic. 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. COVID-19 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. If you qualify as income eligible, there are several programs, including: (1) Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally-funded program that helps Massachusetts residents pay their heating bills; (2) the low-income discount rate program for investor-owned electric and gas utility customers; and (3) arrearage management programs (AMPs) for investor-owned electric and gas utility customers. Between November 15th and March 15th, residential customers are protected from utility shut off, At all other times, if you are experiencing financial hardship. If you need help paying your utility bills or your arrears, visit the Board of Public Utilities' Assistance Programs page. The Biden Administration and Congress have not acted on urgent calls to ban water shutoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. Unpaid utility bills? California will pay off $2 billion - CalMatters The AMP provides customers with the opportunity to have all or a portion of an arrearage (or outstanding unpaid amounts due) forgiven in exchange for payments of an amount and on a schedule designed individually for each participant. Since it has not been referenced in any subsequent proclamations, the guidance may not have any legal effect. You may be able to pause mortgage payments, credit card bills, bank fees and more during the pandemic. Jay Inslee previously ordered a moratorium on shut-offs, which he extended nine times. NRDC and the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) have just published a new fact sheet summarizing six federal COVID-19 relief programs that are either dedicated to, or can be used for, low income water and wastewater assistance. Please see below for contact numbers for each investor-owned electric and gas utility. June 17, 2020: The CPUC presented its COVID-19 response. A map from the National Association of Utility Regulators (NARUC) shows there are now 38 states where the moratorium on shutoffs has expired or is voluntary for utility companies. 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). According toRCW 19.16.500(1)(b),utilities may also add a reasonable collections fee to the outstandingdebt. Steve Gross joined MRSC as a Legal Consultant in January 2020. Most of the assistance is provided through new, emergency programs, although some is provided through pre-existing 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. * Unsurprisingly, when California examined its statewide data, low-income communities of color had disproportionately high levels of household water debt. The commissioners did not heed that call. 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. Southern California Edison Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage, San Diego Gas & Electric Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage, Bear Valley Electric Service Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage, Liberty Utilities Wildfire Mitigation Page, PacifiCorp California Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage, The Governors Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), California Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response website for small businesses. NEW! For additional FAQs about NJBPU's processes during the COVID-19 statewide response, click here. How to apply for rent and utility bill assistance in Texas Editor's note: This blog has been updated to remove references tostate guidance related to the creation of COVID-19 customer support programs. Do we have to have a location open during this time to accept papers? And commissioners said utility companies told them many customers had not set up plans for repayment during the moratorium. Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Power are taking the step until further notice. Those moratoriums are running out, and thousands of unemployed people plus others still battling COVID-19 are running out of options. No, your landlord cannot shut off your utilities. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income homeowners and renters pay for utility and heating bills. We want all Massachusetts residents to be aware of thenew and expanded programs available to assist them in paying their home heating bills. Consider solar energy to reduce electricity usage. MRSC offers a wide range of services to local governments and our contract partners in Washington State. The utility shutoff grace period ended on March 15, 2022 for all water, electric, and sewer customers. Massachusetts consumers should also take steps to avoid an automatic renewal of their supply contract. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Category: 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. 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. Thank you for your website feedback! by Municipal Elections Running for Office A second possibility is that you are receiving supply from a competitive supplier that markets and sells to individual customers. Can I get help paying my utilities? These programs are voluntary, and you can opt out at any time. The AGO issued a 2018reportand2019 update,and2021 updatethat found that Massachusetts customers typically lost money on competitive electric supply. Illinois utilities shut off moratorium ends Wednesday; how to get help You can also follow us on social media: Electric and Gas Arrearages Summary as of October, 2022 (PDF). April 1, 2021: Electric, gas, and water utilities submit final Emergency Utility Customer Protection Transition Plan Advice Letters to CPUC. The grace period for residential cable and internet for customers with school-aged children ended on December 31, 2021. 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.
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