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. 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. Also ask your electric or gas utility if you qualify for an arrearage forgiveness program or any other payment assistance program. Tripadvisor picks two for top 10 in U.S. San Diego airport gets $20M federal infrastructure grant to help Terminal 1 remodel, Boeing CEO loses $7M bonus, keeps $22.5 million compensation, Louisiana Gov. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. of King v. Ne. These funds can help millions keep their water running and dig out from a mountain of utility debt, while helping utilities offset decreased revenue without raising rates. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. 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. State Disclosures, Senior Attorney and Director, Urban Water Infrastructure, People & Communities Program. In addition to Texas Utility Help, the following programs exist to help people pay utilities Also: Help for Texans (TDHCA) 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. . 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. FERA is open to customers whose household incomes slightly exceed those eligible for CARE. We know this has been an extremely difficult time for our customers. (Rob Nikolewski/The San Diego Union-Tribune), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, California Public Utilities Commission passed an extension, extended the moratorium earlier this year, one of the highest electricity rates in the country, California Alternate Rates for Energy, or CARE, and the Family Electric Rates Assistance, or FERA programs, Is your utility bill going to get even higher? Pa. utility shut-off notice: Here's what you can do if you're at risk. Water Utilities Will Not Be Able To Disconnect Service After PSC Vote. According to research at Indiana University that looked at a nationally representative sample of households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, 20% of Black households and 28% of Hispanic households reported being unable to pay an energy bill between June and August 2020, compared to just 12% of white households. For more information about which programs you may be eligible for, use DCA's screening tool. Where available, the fact sheet provides links to federal program webpages and funding allocations to state, territorial, Tribal, and local grantees. However, the California data do not include arrears for customers of wastewater-only utilities. COVID-19 - California Public Utilities Commission Can a power company turn off power? Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. Remember that for city-owned utilities,RCW 35.67.210 and RCW 35.67.215 apply to sewage liens. by 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. Other CPUC Actions Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Frequently Asked Questions about Electric and Gas Utilities Have a problem?Send me an email, at jmatarese@wcpo.com or message me on Facebook. HEAP Energy Assistance NYC311 - Government of New York City The Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to end the moratorium. 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. Under these programs, your city or town negotiates a supply rate with a competitive supplier for its residents. Massachusetts consumers should also take steps to avoid an automatic renewal of their supply contract. 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. Maintaining access to water and other essential utility services remains as vital as ever to safeguard public health, as the pandemic continues. No, your landlord cannot shut off your utilities. The decision means that utilities will not be able to shut off water, power or heat during the winter months. 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. Pa. lifts moratorium on pandemic shutoffs and allows utilities to By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Please visit theCSD websitefor more information. When the remaining state or local moratoria are lifted, residential water customers who lose shutoff protections will face billions of dollars in arrears. All told, some $1.33 billion in past-due bills have piled up statewide. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. You can also follow us on social media: Electric and Gas Arrearages Summary as of October, 2022 (PDF). He has indicated that this will be the final extension. N.J. again extends ban on utilities shutting off power, gas, water to Enrollment does not prevent customers from accessing other financial programs that can help them reduce utility debt. This chart from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)provides more detailed household income information. 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. 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. NJ residents must make utility bill payments by 2021 or risk shut-offs Thank you for your website feedback! The four-month lien limit on water services (enforceable only by water shut-off) is extended by: The period in which the lien may be imposed is the later of: (a) Three months from the expiration of the emergency declaration preventing collection or a lien; or (b) Three months of the ratepayer's failure to abide by the terms of an agreed payment plan, if the payment plan for past due charges would have allowed the ratepayer to repay the past due charges over a period of six months or more. If you are struggling to pay your electric or gas utility bills, reach out to your utility to discuss available payment plans, arrearage forgiveness programs and other payment assistance programs. 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. Customers should make payments toward their utility bills if they can. 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.. We know the effects of COVID are still very much front and center for many consumers, Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen said. So even before there was a mandate to do so, we voluntarily suspended disconnections in early March, said Janet Kim, of PSE.
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