Did Kutner Really Kill Himself, Articles C

That guidance was incorporated into Proclamation 20-23.6 to help utilities create their own programs. 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 |. Further, the prohibitions on disconnecting or refusing to reconnect these services was limited by the language of the proclamations to residential service, but the prohibition on charging late fees did not include that limitation. 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. Under state law, water utilities can still collect past-due bills by putting those expenses onto the property tax roll. Can I get help paying my utilities? By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. 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 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. Plus, if they wish to accelerate or make larger payments, they may do so. She is borrowing electricity from down the hall to keep her food from spoiling. The actions are in response to customers who are unable to pay their utility bills during the COVID-19 economic crisis. Moratoriums on electric shutoffs now expiring, Despite the continuing pandemic, Duke and other utilities are now disconnecting customers falling behind, as state moratoriums expire. Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said the regulator is trying to be responsive to this really dynamic situation that were in, in recovering from this pandemic.. 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. 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. 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. More than 1 million customers were eligible for termination when Wolf sent the letter a month ago. Using Electronic Signatures During Emergencies, Woodward says Spokane economic recovery continues, but problems loom. San Diego Gas & Electric residential customer bills. 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. The Governor's Executive Order establishes a six-month grace period in which no residential customer will face disconnection of their gas, electric, or water services before the end of the grace period on December 31, 2021. Those balances amounted to $235.7 million. Try now to get LIHEAP funds, Dollar Energy Fund help or emergency assistance, they said. But in cities and towns all around the country in Texas, Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Illinois, and more utilities have resumed cutting off water when people cant afford to pay. South Carolina utilities will stop cutting service to customers with unpaid bills during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Henry McMaster urged the companies in a . Medical Information from healthcare professionals on symptoms, when to seek medical attention, and proper steps to take if exposed to COVID-19. The order also applies to small-business customers who have bills at least 60 days past due. However, the question remains as to what actions local utilities can take to collect past-due amounts. 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. You can alsofile a consumer complaintwith the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy and Response Division or by calling our hotline at 617-727-8400. If you are served by a municipal utility, it may or may not be shutting off customers for unpaid bills. 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. If your household income is 60% or less of the state median income, you are eligible for LIHEAP. Those moratoriums are running out, and thousands of unemployed people plus others still battling. San Francisco, CA 94102, Utility Business Continuity Plans and PSPS Preparation, CPUC Mobilizes Community Based Organizations for Pilot Program To Help Consumers With Utility Debt, CPUC Executive Director Letter Concerning Extension of Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service Through February 15, 2022, CPUC Acts To Ensure Essential Utility Services for Consumers at Risk of Disconnections, CPUC Actions to Protect Customers During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Utility Disconnection Moratoria and Arrearage Management - Presentation at CPUC Voting Meeting, CPUC Executive Director Letter Extending Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service through September 30, 2021, CPUC Provides Relief for Customers Who Have Energy Bill Debt, https://liob.cpuc.ca.gov/m-4849-utility-transition-plans/, Executive Director Letter to IOUs on Direction to Conduct Customer Data Validation for Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Executive Director Letter Extending Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service (Resolution M-4848) Through July 15, 2021, CPUC Extends Emergency Utility Customer Protections and Takes Further Action To Address Energy Arrearages During COVID-19, California Cable & Telecommunications Association, CPUC Implements Consumer Protections to Assist Residential and Small Business Customers, Workshop on COVID-19 Impacts on Customers in the Energy Sector, President Batjer Letter to AT&T regarding Legacy DSL Services Retirement, CPUC Letter to ISPs re: Affordable Broadband Plan Subscription Information, Remarks on COVID-19 Actions from Energy Division Deputy Executive Director, CPUC Letter to Program Administrators on Guidance on Energy Efficiency and Energy Savings Assistance Program Suspensions, CPUC Issues Proposal for Additional Customer Protections Due to Non-Payment, CPUC Letter to ISPs on Affordable Broadband Plans to Support Customers Affected by the COVID-19 State of Emergency. Commissioners said utility companies may forgive a portion of the debt for low-income customers who stay current on their payments. 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. 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. 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. Applications for LIHEAP for the 2022-2023 heating season can be submitted now and throughout the winter heating season. BGE Customers With Disconnected Service Can Get Service Restored During COVID-19 Pandemic. For businesses, the plan ensures that the monthly payment does not exceed 10 percent of the customers average monthly bill. Mashelle Fields is one of them, living off batteries and borrowed power in her apartment. Note that the proclamations do not prohibit imposing some kind of monetary penalty for failing to comply with the provisions of a payment plan. If you need assistance, please Contact the Attorney General's Office at (617) 727-2200. You may be eligible for assistance now, even if you have not been eligible in the past. 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. Massachusetts consumers should also take steps to avoid an automatic renewal of their supply contract. "When we have public health experts telling us that one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of the virus is frequent hand washing, I don't know how in good conscience and based on that public health guidance we can allow utility service to be disconnected," said Valcq. by Please visit the CSD website for more information. If you get your electricity or gas from an individual competitive supplier and are paying a high rate,consider canceling your contract so that you may return to buying your electric and gas supply from your utility (often called basic service). 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. The Utilities and Transportation Commission also. . To learn about these payment programs, and whether they are offered by your utility, please contact your utility. Those moratoriums are running out, and thousands of unemployed people plus others still battling COVID-19 are running out of options. coronavirus State regulators on Tuesday extended protections against utility cutoffs for people who can't pay through April 30, 2021. But many utility companies have said without the threat of a shut-off notice, their bills would go unpaid. She can be reached at 717-480-1783 or on Twitter at @candynotcandace. 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. 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. Earlier this month, Gov. 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. 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. 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. you should file a complaint with the Department of Public Utilities, current and historic basic service rates here, Frequently Asked Questions about Water Utilities During COVID-19, Contact the Attorney General's Office at (617) 727-2200. 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. Electric and gas utility contact information is provided below: You can considercontacting Mass Savefor an energy efficiency audit. Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Preparation Plans You can check outcurrent and historic basic service rates here. We know this has been an extremely difficult time for our customers. 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. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. All told, some $1.33 billion in past-due bills have piled up statewide. It may also violate the prohibition againstdiscriminating among similarly situated ratepayers [Hous. Don't fall behind on your bills or you may find yourself in the dark.__________________________. The commissioners did not heed that call. With expanded income eligibility for some programs, more New Jerseyans are now eligible for utility assistance. "I'm charging my cell phone in my truck when I can. 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. Please limit your input to 500 characters. Utilities in Wisconsin will once again be able to shut off services for customers who fail to pay their bills. Many have indicated that if the moratoriums expire, they will cut customers off from power or heat, said Ruth Sawyer, of the Sierra Club. 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. Small business customers may also qualify for payment plans that include arrearage forgiveness. 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 . 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 bill also extends the time for cities and counties to impose a sewage lien: A sewage lien may exceed six months' delinquent charges without the necessity of any writing or recording if collection of charges was impacted by the declaration of an emergency by the governor. Also, utilities may assign delinquent customer debts to licensed collection agencies under the authority provided inRCW 19.16.500and pursuant to a written contract with a licensed agency. The Utilities and Transportation Commission also ordered investor-owned utilities to continue waiving new customer deposits and late fees through Oct. 27, 2021. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. These pages cover more specific details that depend on the type of utility, and its critical that you use the right tools for your specific type of jurisdiction and type of utility. The Biden Administration and Congress have not acted on urgent calls to ban water shutoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. 2023 Cox Media Group. 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. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. "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. Utilities also offer another way to stay on top of your bills called budget billing. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. San Diego International Airport received the $20 million grant as part of the governments Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. "You don't get medical pay period when you are a temp worker," she explained. To leave anyone, especially children who rely on utilities to attend virtual school, without electricity or heat is unconscionable when these companies have guaranteed income and millions in revenue.. These programs are voluntary, and you can opt out at any time. The electric utilities are responsible for operating their systems, including the decision to conduct a Public Safety Power Shutoff as a last resort. A lock icon ( Eligible government agencies in Washington State may use our free, one-on-one Ask MRSC service to get answers to legal, policy, or financial questions. NJBPUtook several other actions to issue guidance to the utility companies during the State of Emergency and Public Health Emergency, including: Water and Sewer Arrearages Summary as of September , 2022 (PDF). But tens of millions of people are continuing to accumulate tens of billions of dollars of overdue utility bills. The risk of disconnection disproportionately harms communities of color. When the remaining state or local moratoria are lifted, residential water customers who lose shutoff protections will face billions of dollars in arrears. Source: Executive Order No. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program payments were down 40% compared to the previous year, according to PUC data. Call your electric or gas utility immediately to enroll. Information on testing, vaccines, and help finding appointments near you. DHCD has a toll-free hotline,1-800-632-8175, that is multi-language and will quickly direct you to your local community action agency that can help answer additional questions about eligibility and process your LIHEAP application. Thanks for signing up. In this post, well focus on what effect (if any) the proclamations have on your existing collections process. Steve Gross joined MRSC as a Legal Consultant in January 2020. If you need help paying your utility bills or your arrears, visit the Board of Public Utilities' Assistance Programs page. If one of these suppliers is on your bill, it is possible that one of these companies switched your electricity supply without your permission. Customers should make payments toward their utility bills if they can. Eligible government agencies can use our free one-on-one inquiry service. Suggestions are presented as an open option list only when they are available. In California and New York City alone, for example, residential water arrears total over $1.6 billion, with over 1.7 million households affected. Follow John on Instagram @johnmataresemoney, For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com. Gov. Governor Inslee issuedProclamation 20-23.16 on July 2, 2021, which extended the utility shutoff moratorium through September 30, 2021. As a quick refresher, take a look at MRSCs Collection Practices for Delinquent Utility Accountswebpage, our Utility Liens and Shutoffs Tool, and our February 22, 2021 blog:A Quick Guide to Utility Account Overcharges, Undercharges, and the Statute of Limitations. Puget Sound Energy reported giving $7.6 million in bill credits to nearly 14,000 customers. Is there a process for cities to write-off bad debt? But this part-time warehouse worker says she was battling COVID, and was out of work for weeks. If a customer account is eligible, a credit will be automatically applied to the customer bill. Have a problem?Send me an email, at jmatarese@wcpo.com or message me on Facebook.