Technical Support Program Rcfe Staff Records, My Greatest Achievement As A Student, Tina Childress Dillon, Articles I

Long Beach officials shut off the gas at Dana Tanner's restaurant after she refused to close her outdoor patio to diners. Were proud to publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our readers. Most utility companies have a handshake agreement with the state and wont shut off customers for inability to pay until mid-April according to Richard Berkley, executive director of the Public Utility Law Project. Check this page for information about determining your eligibility, or email Con Ed about the program at [email protected]. Laws affecting this subject may have changed since this article was written. Haber said its hard to miss the message about termination given its prominence. If you get a termination notice, contact the company that provides your utility service. Copyright 2023 Newsday. During the early months of the pandemic, 34 states issued power shutoff moratoria, protecting residents facing economic hardship from having their lights and water shut off due to a late utility payment. Working in New York City, the media capital of the world, he speaks daily with reporters from local and national NEW YORK Con Edison crews have been working throughout this health crisis responding to emergency calls, performing safety-related inspections, addressing customer issues, providing power to new medical facilities, and conducting the critical work needed to prepare and protect the grid for the stresses of summer. One beneficiary is Mieko Inghilleri, a public school teacher who lives in a drafty rental house in Lawrenceville, north of Trenton. No, this does not mean you do not have to pay. requiring the utility to inform all customers of their right to have continued utility service during the COVID-19 state of emergency and of the opportunity to restructure their payments. Public Works will NOT SHUT OFF OR STOP SERVICES for customers who are delinquent or behind in service or permit payments until this order is lifted. Residential and small business customers will have an additional 30-day grace period, during which time ComEd will not disconnect service for nonpayment to help customers get back on their feet. This is not a bill that I can afford to pay, she said. At one point she owed more than $3,000 to her utility company, the New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG). Visiting, e-mailing, or calling about outstanding bills or disconnecting service. What if I can still afford my utility bills? Millions of U.S. residents behind on bills are at risk of having their electricity, heat and ability to stir up a hot meal cut off on December 22 by private utility companies, just a day after the solstice heralds the colder states descent into true winters chill. Your access to Member Features is limited. This is designed to ensure consumers are made aware of the notice.". Gov. No order from the Public Service Commission is expected. As the weather warms, shut-offs of electric and gas service due to nonpayment tend to pick up. There are some additional protections against water shutoffs through June 2022. That will take a lot of weight off me, she said, though she expressed uncertainty about how she would stay current on her utilities, given that she is also behind on the $1,800 monthly rent on the little one-bedroom she shares with her 13-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. Customers will receive advance notification of planned work and have the option of rescheduling it if they prefer. In New York, electricity cost $0.256 per kilowatt hour in January 2022, a 20% rise from the $0.213 it cost last January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Senior decision-makers come together to connect around strategies and business trends affecting utilities. Moreover, when the shutoff moratorium expires, many customers will be faced with accumulated arrears that they are unable to pay off, even with an extended payment plan. Without a bailout, the state faces the largest tidal wave of shut-offs in New York history, said Richard Berkley, executive director of the Public Utility Law Project, an advocacy group. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images, By Samantha Maldonado and Marie J. French. Without such a notice, consumers would not become eligible for financial assistance under the HEAP program. Though lithium-ion batteries for use in e-bikes have caused a rise in fires in the city, the batteries used in energy storage systems are fundamentally different and the city has strict regulations to mitigate fire risk. Get daily news, in-depth reporting and critical analysis from the journalists, activists and thinkers who are working to improve our world.. Everyone, regardless as to what industry, has to have a heightened responsibility thats encompassed in compassion and take everything into consideration, New Jersey state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) told POLITICO. Similarly, many private water service providers have also ceased service disconnections because of customers inability to pay. The Maryland Public Service Commission allowed service . Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy Organizers Push for Stronger Covid-19 Utility Shut-Off Protections as Winter Nears Thirty-three states have either let their Covid-19 utility moratoriums expire or never passed them at all. Theyre going into debt to pay for a fracked gas pipeline that they said that they didnt want built through their community.. Luckily for Hawkins, Huntsville Utilities says it is not planning to cut off anyone's power right now, given the pandemic and the state of emergency. What utilities are protected from shutoff? Steve Haber of Franklin Square received one on his most recent bill, an apparent mix-up that he said resulted from PSEG neglecting to send him a prior quarterly bill earlier this year. How do I protect my utilities from being shutoff? That includes 411,694 residential Con Ed customers in New York City and Westchester. Customers can manage their accounts online and learn more about payment plans and options. Magazine,Outside Magazine, on New England Public Radio and elsewhere. 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. With growing concerns about the economic impacts of a virtual shutdown of businesses and large events to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus, advocates are increasingly pushing financial relief for families. Customers who enroll in a COVID-19 payment program can pay their past-due bills over a 24-month period without risk of having their utilities shut off. They are issuing shut-off warnings while inflation is pushing up the price of many goods, and monthly charges for heat and electricity have soared in recent months. Unfortunately, scams targeting utility customers increase during times of uncertainty; we urge you to call us first at 1-800-655-4555 before taking any action, or if you are suspicious about any COVID-19-related emails or calls you receive from people claiming to be with SCE.We will never call you or email you to demand payment and threaten to disconnect your service if payment isn't . Public Service Electric & Gas, the state's largest utility, said about 275,000 customers, or 11% of its the utility's 2.5 million customers, are at risk of having their natural gas and electric . During the early months of the pandemic, 34 states issued power shutoff . In states such as Ohio, New York and New Jersey, state regulators said all major utilities volunteered to pause shutoffs. Electricity costs did decrease in February, the bureau reported, and one factor may have been Con Edisons decision to reduce what it charges for supplying power, by 8.8 cents per kilowatt-hour, following the outcry over high bills. The moratorium on shutoffs now includes its entire New York City and Westchester County territory. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory But Ms. Kerr had good news, telling her that she qualified for the states Fresh Start program. Con Edison doesnt charge customers to install smart meters. Customers can also find great energy savings tips on the Con Edison website or by listening to its new podcast, Easy Tips on How to Save Energy at Home This Summer.. But producing high-quality, independent work is not cost-free we rely heavily on your support. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Seattle suspended water and electric shutoffs. Republicans have introduced several bills aimed at bolstering the fossil fuel industry, seemingly at all costs. Plus, public power would likely lower bills. WSSC Water is one of the utilities considering shutting off service to unresponsive Maryland residents who have fallen behind on their bills. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. City of Santa Clara The company originally announced it would suspend disconnects in mid-March for at least 30 days to assist . DC Public Service Commission We need to get past this, hopefully, to see what were facing and then deal with other things.. But 1.2 million households and more than 128,000 businesses across New York State are at least 60 days behind on energy bills, according to monthly reports submitted to the New York State Department of Public Service and analyzed by the Alliance For a Green Economy (AGREE). We recognize that customers may experience financial difficulty as a result of the outbreak, whether they or a family member fall ill, are required to quarantine, or because their income is otherwise affected, said Michael Jennings, a spokesperson for Public Service Enterprise Group the parent company of Public Service Electric and Gas Company, New Jerseys largest utility in a statement. Given the background of a collapsing stock and equity market, all of which matters to the utilities, we have to be careful about blanket moratoriums [on shutoffs] in New York, Berkley said. Sheila Oliver. Experts say the hotter weather pattern might push the Earth into unprecedented territory next year. The Texas Public Utility Commission voted Thursday to ban utilities from cutting off power and water services to Texans who have lost jobs and income during the COVID-19 crisis for at least the . If someone claims to be from Con Edison, call 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) and check the employees name and ID. Portland, Oregon, Electric Utility Engineer I/II/III Elk River, Minnesota, Analyst/Director (DOE) https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/19/nyregion/ny-utility-bill-moratorium.html. Suspensions based on safety concerns such as gas leaks will continue, and the company encourages customers to pay their bills online. Austin, Texas, Associate Director/Director: Electric Portfolio Manager No utility can turn off service if a person cannot pay their bill as a result of responding to this virus situation, said New York Gov. Substantial Rehabilitations Could Help Explain Why. Charlie Baker is banning utility companies from shutting off gas, electric and water utility service to any customers for failure to pay a bill during the coronavirus state of emergency . The electric bill alone for January was nearly $600, she said. At that time, Con Ed sent out 128,299 termination notices. There are situations where you may not have paid a bill, but where your utility cannot shut off service. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. And with gas increasingly exported to foreign countries, the domestic supply gets squeezed. In New Orleans, City Council members pressed Entergy Corp., the nearly $21 billion company that provides the city's power, to suspend shutoffs as the national crisis rapidly worsened Thursday . Austin, Texas, PUC Engineer (Engineer IV - VI) (00029045) The Dallas telecommunications giant also said it would not terminate any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small-business service because of an inability to pay bills due to disruptions caused by the massive shut-down. You should contact 2-1-1 in your area to find out about any payment assistance programs to help with the amount owed. Public Utility Commission of Texas Washington, District of Columbia, Sr. Environmental Economist Where Is the Money Going? Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day. Typically customers receive notices about 20 days past an overdue bill, and then 15 days before the company plans to shut off service. Im constantly trying to fight and to dig out of a hole that Im in.. The company is proud to have been able to meet the energy needs of its customers seamlessly through this pandemic. Beyond that, state law requires utility companies to notify you at least 35 days before shutting you off. Please alert your security company of the outage. After finding work as a receptionist in November, Ms. Rivera, 35, got help from the Public Utility Law Project in arranging an unusual payoff term. On Thursday, Con Edison offered the suspension to customers in the containment area of New Rochelle, with the company extending the grace period to New York City and Westchester county Friday. In 2019, the state passed the most ambitious state-level climate legislation in the country, requiring its electricity sector to be emissions free by 2040. Pennsylvania utilities have cut off service to 116,000 customers for nonpayment since the state lifted a moratorium on shutoffs on April 1 after a staggering number of unpaid bills piled up during the coronavirus pandemic. The looming power shutoffs come just as public health officials warn that the newest and most infectious COVID-19 variant has been detected in the majority of U.S. states. Jan. 24, 2021 . Great River Energy To the extent that the state is declaring areas of emergency, this should be part of the remedies the state deploys.. For an optimal experience visit our site on . There is merit to the idea that air-conditioning is helpful during a pandemic, as the US board ASHRAE said. Short of such legislation, explained Lee Ziesche, community engagement coordinator for the nonprofit Sane Energy Project, private and public money paid to utility companies often goes to funding projects that threaten the health and climate resilience of communities that host them. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam to 3.4 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Easy Tips on How to Save Energy at Home This Summer., Con Edison Customers Made 2022 Another Record Year for Solar Energy, EV Charger Installations Rocket in NYC and Westchester Thanks to Con Edison Support, Con Edison Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions as it Replaces Gas Mains for Safety, Reliability, Learn more about posting on Energy Central , PUC Sr. Market Analyst (Program Spec VII) (00028762), PUC Engineer (Engineer IV - VI) (00029045), Associate Director/Director: Electric Portfolio Manager, Senior Customer Programs Transportation Electrification Manager. She feared the end of the moratorium and the choices she would face to avert having her power cut off. Bill assistance and a moratorium on utility shutoffs will be crucial during a potentially record hot summer. Natalie Jarvey and Joe Pompeo explain the course correction in Hollywood, as the sun begins to set on streaming's golden age and TV writers gird for a possible strike. And its a particularly bad time for bills to go up for lots of people. prohibiting shutoffs during the COVID-19 state of emergency for non-payment of a utility bill; requiring reconnection, within 48 hours of disconnection, for utility service that had been shut off during the emergency; extending the moratorium on utility shutoffs for 180 days beyond when the state of emergency has been lifted or has expired (no later than March 31, 2021 as per, requiring the utility to offer a restructuring of payments owed to the utility, without requiring a down payment or assessing late fees or penalties, for customers that have experienced a change in financial circumstances due to the COVID-19 emergency; and. The program protects specific categories of customers from having their gas or electric shut off between November 15 and March 15 of each year. But producing high-quality, independent work is not cost-free , If you found the piece above useful, informative, or inspiring, please consider supporting, Leanna First-Arai is a freelancejournalistwho coversenvironmental and climate (in)justice. Coronavirus With utility disconnections set to resume in Washington, advocates push for more time Washington banned utility disconnections for non-payment during the pandemic, but that protection . Thats why in New York, dozens of groups are calling on Gov. But for residential utility customers and families, this is an impossible task if their water is shut off for non-payment of a water bill. Many utilities, telecommunications companies and automakers are easing shutoffs and waiving late . The State Department of Public Service has received fewer than 10 complaints about the termination notices on PSEG bills, the agency confirmed. New York and New Jersey, where elected officials have extended deadlines numerous times, are the holdouts. As Navarro writes, one of the biggest advantages of the public ownership model is that revenue is available to reinvest in community visions, rather than to bankroll what companies dictate, such as more fossil gas buildouts. On March 15, state officials warned customers of potential shut-offs. In all, according to reporting by New York Focus, household utility debt in New York increased by 119 percent between February 2020 and September 2021, with hundreds of thousands of shutoff notices sent in November. Con Edison crews will only enter your home or business for emergencies, safety reasons and upon your request for critical issues, including turning on service. Organizations like the Center for Urban Community Services and the Public Utility Law Project can help you navigate the processes and find out what you might be eligible for, as can the city Department of Social Services. He called the state Department of Public Service to complain, about the lack of a quarterly spring bill. Under-resourced communities of color are struggling to access funding supposedly allotted for environmental justice. Late-payment fees will be waived. Moratoriums have expired on turning off utilities for customers who have failed to pay their bills, prompting fears that thousands could be left in the dark. Con Edison does not accept these payment methods. She made a down payment of $150 and agreed to pay monthly installments of $10 for the next 27 years. Consumer Law Staff Attorney Thanks for signing up. Winter Forecast. ", Just beneath is a note that says because of an allegedly unpaid balance, "your service is scheduled to be turned off if payment is not received by Oct. 19, 2020. But skeptical elected officials demanded an investigation into Con Edisons billing practices, leading the company to pledge to change billing practices to make sudden jumps in charges less likely. If you plan to use a generator, please call 1-888-759-6056 so we can safeguard our employees. If someone claims to be from Con Edison, call 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633) and check the employee's name and ID. Her work has appeared in, To donate by check, phone, bitcoin, or other method, see our, Gender-Affirming Care Ban in KY Could Have Deadly Consequences, Experts Warn, Walgreens Restricting Abortion Pill Sales Due to Coordinated GOP Threat, TX Lawmaker Proposes Tax Cuts for Straight Parents Who Have Never Been Divorced, East Palestine Residents Confront Norfolk Southern at Town Hall Meeting, Truthout Center for Grassroots Journalism, White Supremacy Set the Stage for Texas Miserable Disaster Response, more likely to live in energy-inefficient housing, most ambitious state-level climate legislation. Washington, District of Columbia, Senior Customer Programs Transportation Electrification Manager Heres What You Can Do About It, are 60 or more days behind on their bills. Major utilities have agreed to suspend utility shut-offs, a particular concern for people who may be out of work and cannot afford to pay their bills. Representatives can help you get on plan to pay in installments or defer payment to avoid service disruptions. It's an effort to ease financial impacts to . For those behind on bills, says Avni Pravin, deputy policy director at AGREE, it is essential that residents respond to shut off notices, because utilities are required to establish a payment plan with customers. Residents or business owners in New York City, except the Rockaways, can get information from Con Edison. Another avenue would be for members of Congress to insert a shut-off ban in the next round of coronavirus stimulus. Con Edison will resume important customer-focused services, including walk-in service centers and energy efficiency visits to homes and businesses, as circumstances allow in the coming months. Ms. Inghilleri said she had never fallen so far behind on any bills that she had to seek assistance. The Public Service Commission voted unanimously Thursday to end the moratorium blocking utilities from disconnecting power, a policy put in place to help residents financially during the COVID-19 . As a result, major energy utility providers including NYSEG, RG&E, and National Grid have . When customers of Consolidated Edison in New York City and its northern suburbs complained about sharp increases in their bills this winter, the company said the main cause was a spike in the price of natural gas driven by winter demand. But Im not rich.. Access to utility services are critically necessary for people to protect themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roads were covered with snow and sleet on February 15 in Spring, Texas. If you receive food stamps, temporary assistance or Social Security benefits, you may already be enrolled in a program that offers a discount on your bills. AT&T said it would drop data caps for its residential internet customers. Business customers may wish to rent a portable generator, but please note that we cannot reimburse you for this cost. Ultimately, customers unable to pay will need additional financial assistance, including some level of arrearage forgiveness, to keep the water on. Advocates worry that many vulnerable customers, especially the poor and older people, will be left in the dark or saddled with obligations they can never repay. Plus, there werent even storm windows. An unused clause on the books could change that. Gavin Newsom broad powers to slow the spread of the virus, is set to expire on Feb. 28. Visit https://t.co/QFnsFxkFZB https://t.co/RNEMUJjAvI, Please spread the word! As VICE News reported, in August 2021, the Public Service Commission voted 7-0 to approve a rate hike impacting 1.9 million residents, $129 million of which was earmarked to build National Grids North Brooklyn Pipeline, which has faced significant community opposition. Mieko Inghilleri, a public-school teacher in New Jersey, reached out to a local advocacy group after falling behind on her utililty bill.