And while they applied to water and sewer districts as well as other municipally-owned utilities, the proclamations did not specifically include sewer or stormwater 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. Tom Wolf, who opposes lifting the moratorium. 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. Individual competitive suppliers (in other words, suppliers that are not part of a community choice program) often charge higher rates than your utilitys rates. 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. Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Preparation Plans 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. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. Where available, the fact sheet provides links to federal program webpages and funding allocations to state, territorial, Tribal, and local grantees. Why is my BGE bill so high 2021? But many utility companies have said without the threat of a shut-off notice, their bills would go unpaid. 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. Can a power company turn off power? Coronavirus in SC: Utilities stop shutoffs of water, power - The State Aug. 13, 2020, at 12:14 p.m. Bills to Stop Paying During Coronavirus. In addition, 2020 collection reports for the individual Electric Distribution Companies (EDC) and Gas Distribution Companies (GDC) are available via NJBPU's Public Document Searchtool. One water system has already said that it will resume shutoffs the next day. A lock icon ( 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 without a way to connect to their jobs or schools. Henry McMaster urged the companies in a . Puget Sound Energy reported giving $7.6 million in bill credits to nearly 14,000 customers. BGE Customers With Disconnected Service Can Get Service Restored During COVID-19 Pandemic. HARRISBURGThe moratorium on utility shutoffs expires at the end of the month, leaving more than 1 million Pennsylvania households at risk of losing their electricity, gas, water and telephone service. The utility shutoff grace period ended on March 15, 2022 for all water, electric, and sewer customers. Earlier this month, Gov. Auth. FERA is open to customers whose household incomes slightly exceed those eligible for CARE. N.J. again extends ban on utilities shutting off power, gas, water to 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. 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. Try now to get LIHEAP funds, Dollar Energy Fund help or emergency assistance, they said. 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. If you do not qualify for a low-income program, contact your electric or gas utility to learn about deferred payment arrangements. But the vaccines are still in a race against time, with COVID-19 again resurging in many states. 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. Some individual water utilities are continuing to suspend shutoffs, even after state bans expire, while some others never do shutoffs at all for non-payment. She can be reached at 717-480-1783 or on Twitter at @candynotcandace. Any person who is making good faith efforts should never have their services shut off, he said. Don't fall behind on your bills or you may find yourself in the dark.__________________________. 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. Small business customers may also qualify for payment plans that include arrearage forgiveness. of King v. Ne. Under the terms of the CPUCs 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 Payment Plan that will amortize their debt over a 24-month period. 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%. Utilities will be able to shut off services for people behind on bills 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. Help with Utilities | Texas Law Help The number of people affected is alarming, according to a letter sent to the commission from Gov. 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. We will be monitoring very closely the extent to which state and federal funding efforts address the debt that consumers face, Rechtschaffen said. concerned about the health and safety of themselves and their loved Have a problem?Send me an email, at jmatarese@wcpo.com or message me on Facebook. In New York City, the numbers reported include only water and sewer accounts that are at least 180 days overdue; the total of all overdue water and sewer bills in New York City is certainly much higher. 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. For more information about the Winter Termination Program, call 800-624-0241. The Biden administration is pushing for more economic relief, but has not yet committed to stopping shut-offs. Last month, Ayanna McClure learned how quickly landlords were filing eviction notices when the moratoriums expired. 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. The Utilities and Transportation Commission also ordered investor-owned utilities to continue waiving new customer deposits and late fees through Oct. 27, 2021. Moratoriums on electric shutoffs now expiring, Despite the continuing pandemic, Duke and other utilities are now disconnecting customers falling behind, as state moratoriums expire. 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). 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). MRSC offers a wide range of services to local governments and our contract partners in Washington State. 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 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. We want all Massachusetts residents to be aware of thenew and expanded programs available to assist them in paying their home heating bills. Suggestions are presented as an open option list only when they are available. For many of us, the accelerating rollout of COVID-19 vaccines provides hope for a light at the end of the tunnel. 8, even as sewage contamination led to closures for 35 days last year. Applications for LIHEAP for the 2022-2023 heating season can be submitted now and throughout the winter heating season. Utilities resume the issuance of late payment notifications to customers and collection activities. On June 14, Governor Murphy announced that the moratorium on utility service shutoffs will end as of July 1, 2021. If you are having trouble paying your electric, sewer, or water bills, you may be eligible to avoid disconnection through the Winter Termination Program. 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. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income homeowners and renters pay for utility and heating bills. On-Demand Webinars Watch pre-recorded versions of our recent webinars, at your own convenience. OLYMPIA, WA - With a bipartisan 64-31 vote, the Washington State House passed a bill to ensure a utility operator cannot shut off power or water when the National Weather Service issues a heat-related warning or alert. HEAP is a seasonal program. 246; https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562021/approved/20211222a.shtml; https://www.nj.gov/bpu/newsroom/reports/covid19/Moratorium_Ending_FAQs_061421.pdf. March 20, 2020: The CPUC has temporarily waived the hard copy filing requirements for our Advice Letter process. And the amount of unpaid bills had increased 67% since 2019 to $1 billion in February. Lake Washington Sewer & Water Dist., 784 P.2d 1284 (Wash. Ct. App. 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. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. September 7, 2021 Auth. Click here for more on competitive electric suppliers. "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. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. And commissioners said utility companies told them many customers had not set up plans for repayment during the moratorium. Please limit your input to 500 characters. Pa. lifts moratorium on pandemic shutoffs and allows utilities to For water-sewer districts considering rate forgiveness,RCW 57.08.014requires the district to notify all ratepayers of the special rates and any associated cost shifts. Whats your favorite San Diego County beach? Hochul announces rollout of electric and gas utility bill credits for Customers should make payments toward their utility bills if they can. Lake Washington Sewer & Water Dist. New York Bans Utility Shutoffs during COVID-19 Emergency