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. All rights reserved. Those balances amounted to $235.7 million. CAPP dedicates $1 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to address Californian's energy debts. 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. 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. "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. In the case of small businesses in disadvantaged communities, the payment cannot exceed 5 percent of the customers average monthly bill. In these unsettling and unprecedented times, many people are If you need help paying your utility bills or your arrears, visit the Board of Public Utilities' Assistance Programs page. A federal program can help. Please limit your input to 500 characters. You can also follow us on social media: Electric and Gas Arrearages Summary as of October, 2022 (PDF). Based on the plain language of the proclamations this is how we think they affect the utilities once the prohibitions expire. 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. 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 . If your household income is 60% or less of the state median income, you are eligible for LIHEAP. The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, Puget Sound Energy reported giving $7.6 million in bill credits to nearly 14,000 customers. "I didn't have the $300 they needed," she said. The electric utilities are responsible for operating their systems, including the decision to conduct a Public Safety Power Shutoff as a last resort. States should heed the same recommendations as they set up their own programs to administer LIHWAP funds. Do we have to have a location open during this time to accept papers? 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. Those moratoriums are running out, and thousands of unemployed people plus others still battling. Mashelle Fields is one of them, living off batteries and borrowed power in her apartment. Lt. Gov. 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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. 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). But the majority of these orders are . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. She can be reached at 717-480-1783 or on Twitter at @candynotcandace. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email [email protected] or use our Listener Feedback form. "You don't get medical pay period when you are a temp worker," she explained. You can alsofile a consumer complaintwith the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division or by calling our hotline at 617-727-8400. 505 Van Ness Avenue No, your landlord cannot shut off your utilities. The proclamations did not prohibit disconnecting sewer and storm services (if practical) for non-payment. "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. 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. But if you are falling behind on utilities, get help as soon as possible so you are not shut off. . If you have been switched without your permission, you should file a complaint with the Department of Public Utilities. The AGO issued a 2018reportand2019 update,and2021 updatethat found that Massachusetts customers typically lost money on competitive electric supply. of King v. Ne. Nearly one-third of residential customers among the state's five largest utilities had past-due bills as of August, according to data provided to the commission. Can I get help paying my utilities? Plus, more than half the amount owed comes from customers not enrolled in assistance programs that help defray utility bills. It may also violate the prohibition againstdiscriminating among similarly situated ratepayers [Hous. The decision means that utilities will not be able to shut off water, power or heat during the winter months. Thanks for signing up. 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. CPUC response letter that delays an already scheduled natural gas rate increase for Southern California Gas Company and SDG&E small business customers for 120 days to help reduce natural gas bills during the crisis. 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. For more information, see Utilities and Landlord/Tenant Issues. Use this button to show and access all levels. 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. 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. HEAP is a seasonal program. You can also go towww.heatinghelpma.orgto find more information about your local community action agency and eligibility. On this webpage you will find information on what the CPUC The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income homeowners and renters pay for utility and heating bills. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Earlier this month, the Legislature earmarked $1 billion in the upcoming 2022 state budget to help Californians pay overdue utility 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. We know this has been an extremely difficult time for our customers. A second possibility is that you are receiving supply from a competitive supplier that markets and sells to individual customers. Electricity and Gas are essential servicesthats why it is important that customers know their rights and where they can go for help if they need it. *Note:This combined total for New York City and California is likely a conservative estimate. But the vaccines are still in a race against time, with COVID-19 again resurging in many states. Only eight states have statewide water shutoff moratoria in place today. February 27 2023, Integrating Best Available Science: New Tools for Land Use Planning & Emergency Management Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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. Electric and gas utility contact information is provided below: You can considercontacting Mass Savefor an energy efficiency audit. Utilities resume the issuance of late payment notifications to customers and collection activities. Note that the proclamations do not prohibit imposing some kind of monetary penalty for failing to comply with the provisions of a payment plan. She cited lower unemployment and COVID-19 infection rates, and pointed to the latest federal stimulus among the reasons the moratorium could be lifted. Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Preparation Plans We know the effects of COVID are still very much front and center for many consumers, Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen said. 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. 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. Receive MRSC's latest articles and analysis through our Weekly Insights e-newsletter. Many residents are struggling to pay their bills, including their monthly utility bills, following the COVID-19 crisis and due to the currently high fossil fuel prices. Call your electric or gas utility immediately to enroll. Any person who is making good faith efforts should never have their services shut off, he said. 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. 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. 2023 www.goerie.com. For more information about the Winter Termination Program, call 800-624-0241. 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. 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. Utility Late Fee/Shutoff Moratorium Expires September 30: Now What. "It's just very difficult that the PSC wouldn't allow us to use our same tools," said Bessette. For more information, please visit https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. Please see below for contact numbers for each investor-owned electric and gas utility. The more you pay now the less you will have to make up later. of Cty. Not only did many customers with overdue bills not set up payment plans with their utility companies, they also did not seek much help in coming up with the money. 2023 Cox Media Group. Moratoriums on electric shutoffs now expiring, Despite the continuing pandemic, Duke and other utilities are now disconnecting customers falling behind, as state moratoriums expire. Meanwhile, utility customers have amassed large, unpaid bills, as a majority of the state has been working from home and using more energy. Steve Gross Some page levels are currently hidden. "I just want some time to get my money," she said. 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. And the amount of unpaid bills had increased 67% since 2019 to $1 billion in February. NRDC and NCLC have submitted recommendations to HHS on how to implement LIHWAP equitably and efficiently. The Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to end the moratorium. Fields, meanwhile, has applied for pandemic aid through the state. April 30, 2021: CPUC Approves Emergency Utility Customer Protection Transition Plans. 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.
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