You may be able to pause mortgage payments, credit card bills, bank fees and more during the pandemic. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Small business customers may also qualify for payment plans that include arrearage forgiveness. Texas regulators vote to ban residential utility shut-offs during pandemic while buoying companies The Texas Public Utility Commission approved an order Thursday that would ban. Sign up now! If one of these suppliers is on your bill, it is possible that one of these companies switched your electricity supply without your permission. 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. 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). travels to Asia to strengthen business ties, How major US stock indexes fared Friday 3/3/2023, There is nothing warm and welcoming about it. San Diegos cruise ship terminal will get first makeover in 40 years, How to get your security deposit back in San Diego, Rapid reversal of price growth: San Diego home prices declining more quickly than other cities, San Diego rent increases are slowing. In these unsettling and unprecedented times, many people are The grace period for residential cable and internet for customers with school-aged children ended on December 31, 2021. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and 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. According toRCW 19.16.500(1)(b),utilities may also add a reasonable collections fee to the outstandingdebt. The AGO issued a 2018reportand2019 update,and2021 updatethat found that Massachusetts customers typically lost money on competitive electric supply. 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. States should heed the same recommendations as they set up their own programs to administer LIHWAP funds. February 22 2023. For collection of delinquent amounts by water-sewer districts, the procedures in RCW 57.08.081control. KIRO 7 News Seattle facebook feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle twitter feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle youtube feed(Opens a new window), Powerball jackpot winner identified as longtime Boeing employee, Multiple western Washington residents indicted in connection to coast-to-coast drug ring, Seattle firefighters battle massive Lake City building fire for hours, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies after brain aneurysm at 61, Thieves lose ATM ripped out of Lakewood credit union. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. Customers behind on their utility bills have three more months of assurance they will not get their power shut off for non-payment after the California Public Utilities Commission passed an extension on Thursday. 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. 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. Under these programs, your city or town negotiates a supply rate with a competitive supplier for its residents. But she learned that if you fall behind on those payment plans, it can be lights out. 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). Any person who is making good faith efforts should never have their services shut off, he said. concerned about the health and safety of themselves and their loved Gavin Newsom went into effect in March 2020, the utilities commission announced power companies could not disconnect services to customers for one year. We want all Massachusetts residents to be aware of thenew and expanded programs available to assist them in paying their home heating bills. All told, some $1.33 billion in past-due bills have piled up statewide. Consumer advocates want to make sure all utilities are required to offer longer payment plans and forgive debt. Call your electric or gas utility immediately to enroll. Whats your favorite San Diego County beach? South Carolina utilities will stop cutting service to customers with unpaid bills during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. 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. 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. 8, even as sewage contamination led to closures for 35 days last year. Puget Sound Energy reported giving $7.6 million in bill credits to nearly 14,000 customers. It may also violate the prohibition againstdiscriminating among similarly situated ratepayers [Hous. We will use this information to improve this page. But tens of millions of people are continuing to accumulate tens of billions of dollars of overdue utility bills. 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. Automatic renewals often lead to customers paying higher rates. For more information about which programs you may be eligible for, use DCA's screening tool. Last month, Ayanna McClure learned how quickly landlords were filing eviction notices when the moratoriums expired. And commissioners said utility companies told them many customers had not set up plans for repayment during the moratorium. 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 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. 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. 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. September 7, 2021 Final Transition Plan Advice Letters available on. 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. 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. He also has been a legal policy advisor for the Pierce County Council and has worked in contract administration. 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. Utilities resume the issuance of late payment notifications to customers and collection activities. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. 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 By comparison, about 12 percent of customers had past-due balances in April 2019, amounting to $184million. New Jersey has again extended its moratorium on companies shutting off residents' utilities through June 30, as the state continues to cope with the coronavirus pandemic one year after the . Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, A map from the National Association of Utility Regulators (NARUC). With expanded income eligibility for some programs, more New Jerseyans are now eligible for utility assistance. For resources and updates about New Jerseys response to COVID-19, visit the COVID-19 Information Hub. Water utilities were asked to submit any disconnection plans for review this month. But, thewinter moratorium doesnot apply to water utilities. 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. A second possibility is that you are receiving supply from a competitive supplier that markets and sells to individual customers. Suggestions are presented as an open option list only when they are available. PUC Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille said its time to return to the regular collections process.. CAPP dedicates $1 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to address Californian's energy debts. 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. Can a power company turn off power? A deadlocked Public Utility Commission earlier this month ensured utility companies could move forward with terminations starting April 1, potentially leaving low-income workers and students. You must re-apply each year and meet the qualifications to receive a HEAP benefit. Moratoriums on disconnects expiring across the US. Income eligibility is evaluated based on your gross household income for the past 4 weeks. 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 by 8.7% and deaths by 14.8%. For more information, please visit https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. MRSC offers a wide range of services to local governments and our contract partners in Washington State. Southern states are more frequently turning to pay-to-use express lanes as a way to address highway congestion without raising taxes. 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 |. 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. * Unsurprisingly, when California examined its statewide data, low-income communities of color had disproportionately high levels of household water debt. In this post, well focus on what effect (if any) the proclamations have on your existing collections process. Based on the plain language of the proclamations this is how we think they affect the utilities once the prohibitions expire. We will The heat dome of 2021 claimed the lives of 157 people in Washington State . 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. 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. On-Demand Webinars Watch pre-recorded versions of our recent webinars, at your own convenience. 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 . April 23, 2020: CPUC held a workshop on Impacts of COVID-19 on Customer-Oriented Clean Energy Program. For more information about the Winter Termination Program, call 800-624-0241. 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. 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. Maintaining access to water and other essential utility services remains as vital as ever to safeguard public health, as the pandemic continues. We offered specific program design recommendations to deliver assistance to those with the greatest need; maximize public health benefits by using program funds to protect access to essential water service; ensure accountability for program spending by states and utilities; and generate data to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and determine how to improve upon it. The utility shutoff grace period ended on March 15, 2022 for all water, electric, and sewer customers. PSC Chair Rebecca Cameron Valcq highlighted the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin. Please see below for contact numbers for each investor-owned electric and gas utility. Applications for LIHEAP for the 2022-2023 heating season can be submitted now and throughout the winter heating season. (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. Gov. California has been here before, Feds using enhanced surveillance to see whats behind the natural gas spike in California, Paid express lanes grow more popular in once-reluctant South. March 20, 2020: The CPUC has temporarily waived the hard copy filing requirements for our Advice Letter process. 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. 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. We know the effects of COVID are still very much front and center for many consumers, Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen said. And the amount of unpaid bills had increased 67% since 2019 to $1 billion in February. Commissioners said utility companies may forgive a portion of the debt for low-income customers who stay current on their payments. The Proclamation 20-23 series (the proclamations) only applied to energy, telecommunications, or water services. Please do not include personal or contact information. 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 financial impact of the pandemic has been devastating for many in our community and helping our customers by providing flexible payment options and access to bill assistance resources has been a priority for us, Prince said in an email. https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562021/approved/20211222a.shtml, https://www.nj.gov/bpu/newsroom/reports/covid19/Moratorium_Ending_FAQs_061421.pdf. Thursdays 5-0 vote extends the moratorium through the end of September for both residential and small-business customers. Please visit theCSD websitefor more information. The proclamations did not prohibit disconnecting sewer and storm services (if practical) for non-payment. Thanks for signing up. 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). 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. according to data provided to the commission, Wisconsin utility regulators discontinue remaining COVID-19 protections for customers, Two of Wisconsin's largest utilities reach deal with groups as they seek to raise rates next year, Utility regulators want state's energy efficiency program to play a larger role in cutting emissions, COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in Wisconsin, Latest COVID-19 data shows hospitalization, death rates low, infection rates up among vaccinated, Lawyer who oversaw Trump elector scheme in Wisconsin reappointed to judicial advisory panel, Court orders Green Bay to stop using audio devices while lawsuit plays out, UW System President Jay Rothman to seek in-state tuition increase, Capital budget would offload 4 state office buildings, From 'Magic the Gathering' to computer coding manuals, these are the books banned in Wisconsin prisons, Landowners sue Lac du Flambeau tribal leaders to reopen roads blocked for a month, Wisconsin natives aged gouda is 'best cheese' in America, contest says, As budget negotiations begin, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos downplays Wisconsin's surplus, Federal lawsuit challenging Eau Claire schools transgender policy dismissed, Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. Payment plans can help avoid service shut-offs. As state COVID-19 lockdown orders from Gov. Share this webpage and the flyer below with your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors to spread the word. 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. SoCalGas Request for Extension of Time to Comply with Ordering Paragraphs of Triennial Cost Allocation Proceeding for Small Business Customers in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, CPUC Works to Help Mitigate Higher Energy Bills Utility Customers May Receive Due to Shelter at Home, CPUC Letter to TNCs on COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Response Plans, CPUC Letter to All County Executive Officers re: Essential Wildfire and PSPS Mitigation Work, CPUC Letter to Class C, D Water and Sewer Utilities on Emergency Customer Protections to Support Customers Affected by the COVID-19 State of Emergency, Executive Director's Letter to Wireless Providers and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), SDG&E Directive to Provide Information on Planned Service Interruptions, SCE Directive to Provide Information on Planned Service Interruptions, PG&E Directive to Provide Information on Planned Service Interruptions, Executive Director's Letter to Energy Companies, Executive Director's Letter to Water Companies, Executive Director's Letter to Communications Companies, Executive Director's Letter to Rail Companies, CPUC Suspends Renewal Requirements for Low Income Energy and Telco Programs to Assist Customers During COVID-19 Epidemic, Practitioner Alert: COVID-19 Temporary Filing and Service Protocol, CPUC Public Meetings During COVID-19 Pandemic, Executive Directors Letter to Energy Companies, Executive Directors Letter to Water Companies, Executive Directors Letter to Communications Companies, Draft Resolution Ratifying the Executive Directors March 17 Letter; will be on April 16 Voting Meeting Agenda, Cancelled - CPUC Public Forums on SCE Rate Requests, 2020 Wildfire Mitigation and PSPS Preparation, 2020 Wildfire Mitigation and PSPS Preparation Presentation, Utility Consumer Protections During California COVID-19 Outbreak. If you receive residential electric or gas service through a municipal utility, contact them directly to find out more about their shut-off policy and to hear about available payment assistance programs. 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. (Allied organizations have also submitted similar recommendations to HHS, including a letter organized by frontline advocates that NRDC also joined.). Plus, if they wish to accelerate or make larger payments, they may do so. CARE is available to customers whose total household income is at or below specific income limits, such as $52,4000 for a family of four. Please let us know how we can improve this page. The AGO strongly urges any Massachusetts consumer who considers signing up with a competitive supplier to read the AGOs FAQs on electric supply options here. The number of people affected is alarming, according to a letter sent to the commission from Gov. "I didn't have the $300 they needed," she said. Bessette said that puts utilities in a tough spot with landlords whose tenants can't or won't pay. Using Electronic Signatures During Emergencies, Woodward says Spokane economic recovery continues, but problems loom. In addition to your utility, you can contact the Department of Public Utilitiesat877-886-5066, or completetheir online complaint form. Candy Woodall is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania Capital Bureau. She can be reached at 717-480-1783 or on Twitter at @candynotcandace. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Some page levels are currently hidden. A federal program can help. Visitwww.mass211.orgor dial 211 to find your local agency. March 17, 2020: CPUC Ensures Essential Utility Services for Consumers to Assist in COVID-19 Mitigation. . 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. It also notes where federal agencies have not yet provided critical details, such as how the program funds will be allocated and how programs will be structured. You can also go towww.heatinghelpma.orgto find more information about your local community action agency and eligibility. Additionally, the period in which the lien may be imposed was amended this year by the legislature (see HB 1069, section 15). In the first quarter of this year, more than 3.3 million residential customers of the states big four utilities have fallen behind on their bills: Applying SDG&Es figure to its overall residential customer total of about 1.326 million, that means 36.6 percent of SDG&E residential customers are in arrears. Digging Into Public Works In-person regional forums and training resources for public works staff and local contractors. NEW! Water and other utility services already have been disconnected for at least hundreds of thousands families unable to pay these bills, with more at risk every day. When the remaining state or local moratoria are lifted, residential water customers who lose shutoff protections will face billions of dollars in arrears. 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. Receive MRSC's latest articles and analysis through our Weekly Insights e-newsletter. 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. 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. Other assistance programs for income-eligible customers are available year-round through investor-owned gas and electric utilities, including a low-income discount rate program, which helps make bills more manageable, and an arrearage management program (AMP), which helps customers who have an unpaid balance on their bill and are struggling to pay. 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 good news is that the recent federal COVID-19 relief packages including President Bidens American Rescue Plan enacted in March 2021 provide billions of dollars that can help low-income families struggling to pay their water and sewer bills. and utilities under its jurisdiction are doing to support communities But Dutrieuille and the commission approved a motion that will allow customers to stretch out payment plans and keep on their services. To learn about these payment programs, and whether they are offered by your utility, please contact your utility. 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.
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