Stay informed with WPR's email newsletter. Additionally, the period in which the lien may be imposed was amended this year by the legislature (see HB 1069, section 15). This is true even if you are behind on rent. Links to the 2020 briefing decks presented to CPUC and CAL FIRE can be found on the utility websites below. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission voted 2 to 1 to ban all utility disconnections until next April. You can alsofile a consumer complaintwith the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division or by calling our hotline at 617-727-8400. 2023 www.goerie.com. But she learned that if you fall behind on those payment plans, it can be lights out. Details wont be finalized until the governor approves the budget and the commission will take the $1 billion payments into consideration in a later proceeding. We know this has been an extremely difficult time for our customers. More than 1 million customers were eligible for termination when Wolf sent the letter a month ago. MRSC offers a wide range of services to local governments and our contract partners in Washington State. What pandemic? Utilities resuming disconnections - WCPO States should heed the same recommendations as they set up their own programs to administer LIHWAP funds. Moratoriums on electric shutoffs now expiring, Despite the continuing pandemic, Duke and other utilities are now disconnecting customers falling behind, as state moratoriums expire. In Fields' case, her supplier put her on a payment plan so she could just pay a few dollars a month. during these challenging times. March 27, 2020: Joint Letters to IOUs re: Essential Wildfire and PSPS Mitigation Work, March 20, 2020: Business Continuity and COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Response Plans. SDG&E asking regulator to increase rates starting next year, Heres how much lower your SDG&E bill might be in March, SDG&E kicks in $16 million of shareholder funds to help financially strapped customers, Behind on your SDG&E utility bill? Shutoffs were allowed to resume Nov. 9 for some nonpaying customers, but existing commissionguidelines protected customers with income less than 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. State officials recommend anyone with a shut-off notice to set up a plan now with their electric, gas or water provider. On this webpage you will find information on what the CPUC Those moratoriums are running out, and thousands of unemployed people plus others still battling COVID-19 are running out of options. 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. Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. The AGO issued a 2018reportand2019 update,and2021 updatethat found that Massachusetts customers typically lost money on competitive electric supply. 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). And commissioners said utility companies told them many customers had not set up plans for repayment during the moratorium. 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 . She can be reached at 717-480-1783 or on Twitter at @candynotcandace. This chart from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)provides more detailed household income information. This partnership was previously. These LIHEAP funds, combined with assistance from ERAP, will significantly reduce the impact of the lifting of the moratorium, and prevent potentially hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians from facing termination, Wolf said. Medical Information from healthcare professionals on symptoms, when to seek medical attention, and proper steps to take if exposed to COVID-19. of Cty. 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. Federal COVID-19 Relief for Water & Sewer Bills | NRDC 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. Customers should consider the following: Replaced outdated light bulbs with ENERGY STAR certified light bulbs. Board of Public Utilities | Newsroom & Public Notices 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. All rights reserved. You should also closely review your electric and gas utility bills to determine whether you are buying your electric or gas supply from your utility or from another entity, often called a competitive supplier. April 23, 2020: CPUC held a workshop on Impacts of COVID-19 on Customer-Oriented Clean Energy Program. When the remaining state or local moratoria are lifted, residential water customers who lose shutoff protections will face billions of dollars in arrears. With expanded income eligibility for some programs, more New Jerseyans are now eligible for utility assistance. 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. Sign up now! Lt. Gov. The utility shutoff grace period ended on March 15, 2022 for all water, electric, and sewer customers. For more information about the Winter Termination Program, call 800-624-0241. Click here for more on competitive electric suppliers. Small business customers may also qualify for payment plans that include arrearage forgiveness. February 27 2023, Integrating Best Available Science: New Tools for Land Use Planning & Emergency Management LIHEAP is available this winter heating season from November 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Use this button to show and access all levels. Visitwww.mass211.orgor dial 211 to find your local agency. 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. As an alternative to the collection provisions in that section, RCW 36.94.150(3) allows the county to adopt the procedures in RCW 35.67.290 for collection. 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. Try now to get LIHEAP funds, Dollar Energy Fund help or emergency assistance, they said. 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. Most Massachusetts investor-owned electric and gas utility companies offer deferred payment arrangements which allow the customer to set up a customized, manageable payment plan. If your bill lists a competitive supplier that you do not recognize, there are two possibilities. Inflation and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine are driving up fossil fuel prices and in turn energy rates for customers across the country this winter. 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. 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. We will The order also applies to small-business customers who have bills at least 60 days past due. We are using lanterns to get ready for work.". 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%. 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. 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. It can reduce electric bills 30 to 35 percent. 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. and utilities under its jurisdiction are doing to support communities Follow John on Instagram @johnmataresemoney, For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com. 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. Unlike AMP, utility customersdo not need to applyto receive assistance under the CAPP program. If your household income is 60% or less of the state median income, you are eligible for LIHEAP. 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. If you need help paying your utility bills or your arrears, visit the Board of Public Utilities' Assistance Programs page. The Energy 202: Biden under pressure to stop utility shutoffs during In California and New York City alone, for example, residential water arrears total over $1.6 billion, with over 1.7 million households affected. 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. 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. Plus, if they wish to accelerate or make larger payments, they may do so. Between November 15th and March 15th, residential customers are protected from utility shut off, At all other times, if you are experiencing financial hardship. Valcq pointed out that similar assistance programs do not exist for water customers. For collection of delinquent amounts by water-sewer districts, the procedures in RCW 57.08.081control. Other CPUC Actions 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. Between November 15th and March 15th, residential customers are protected from utility shut offif the utility service is needed to heat your homeand you receive service from an investor-owned utility, such as Eversource, National Grid, Unitil, Liberty Utilities, or Berkshire Gas. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. "I didn't have the $300 they needed," she said.