Residents of New York and New Jersey owe the staggering sum of more than $2.4 billion to utility companies. Ms. Huba, who moved to Harlem from Texas last summer, was stunned when Con Edison sent her a monthly bill for $891 in January, double what she had paid just two months before. Covid State of Emergency: The state's coronavirus emergency declaration, which gave Gov. During the early months of the pandemic, 34 states issued power shutoff . Amber Johnson is the organizing and training director at the New York Energy Democracy Alliance (NYEDA). keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. 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Available data from other states and projections for New York State specifically, suggest that millions of New Yorkers are likely already behind on their utility bills, accumulating substantial arrears that would subject them to shutoff at their utilitys discretion without guaranteed protections from the state. 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. Ebony Jackson is a community leader and small business owner in Binghamton, New York. AT&T said it would waive late-payment . In 2019, approximately one-third of eligible households in New York did not receive assistance. Utilities Face Pressure To Stop Shutting Off Services Amid Coronavirus Republicans have introduced several bills aimed at bolstering the fossil fuel industry, seemingly at all costs. Senior decision-makers come together to connect around strategies and business trends affecting utilities. An executive act mandating utility debt cancellation would build on this legislation, as advocates characterize dealing with utility debt as a precondition to rolling out the kinds of equity-centered renewable energy programs in the states historic climate law. They will still be responsible for the outstanding cost of their water service, they just will not face the risk of water being cut off for non-payment at this time. The agency told him, "theyre not going to do anything anyway," to terminate his service because of the law barring shut-offs. Utility Late Fee/Shutoff Moratorium Expires September 30: Now What? No, this does not mean you do not have to pay. We need to get past this, hopefully, to see what were facing and then deal with other things.. You can also request billing or meter information. Activists Push for Stronger Covid-19 Utility Shut-Off Protections All rights reserved. State Disclosures, Senior Attorney, Safe Water Initiative, People & Communities Program. Those fuels mostly natural gas are commodities, and in 2021, they drove energy prices to rise faster than any other commodity category, according to the U.S Energy Information Administration. There are some additional protections against water shutoffs through June 2022. Jackie Huba, who manages the careers of drag artists, fell behind on her power bill for the first time this winter. The shutdown last year of the Indian Point nuclear power plant, which once provided as much as 25 percent of the power consumed by New York City, has also contributed to surging utility bills because it has made the region more reliant on natural gas. Per Governor Cuomos March 13, 2020 directive, all energy and water utilities operating under the states authority have been ordered to halt terminations of service for both commercial and residential customers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This is not uncommon. RALEIGH. Jackie Huba, who lives in Harlem, got a bill from Con Edison in January for $891, double what she was billed two months before. SNAP Emergency Allotments are ending by the end of the month. PDF Frequently Asked Question on Water Shut-Offs - California Energy executives and public officials have poured fuel on the fire, exacerbating existing debt like Jacksons by continuing to propose and rubber-stamp rate hikes as the pandemic roars on. Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nations largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $13 billion in annual revenues and $59 billion in assets. (We are tracking statewide water shutoff moratoria, including some that have already expired, here.). San Francisco Bay (Area), California, Engineering Technician Supervisor It's not exactly free, but you can get no-cost, in-home internet for up to sixty days during the COVID-19 pandemic if you qualify for certain low-income internet programs or have a student living in your household. American Water, which operates in 16 states and has 650,000 customers in New Jersey and 350,000 in New York, has halted any shutoffs amid the coronavirus pandemic and will also restore service. 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. Our, Beginning with work that requires little-to-no interaction with customers, crews will resume gas main replacement and service work, reading meters and installing smart meters on the exterior of buildings or in public areas such as common basements. 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. Her landlord knew this, she said, but he was aiming to sell the house, so he didnt want to invest in the fixes. Legal Services Paralegal Curtailing shut-offs is good public policy to make sure New Jersey residents arent left in the lurch as theyre dealing with coronavirus, said Eric Miller, director of the Natural Resources Defense Councils New Jersey energy policy program. National Grid goes door-to-door, notifying customers of outstanding bills Legal Services Paralegal (Olean) Like other commodities, the price fluctuates with supply and demand. Regional Staff Attorney - Litigation Gas service cut off at restaurant that kept serving diners - Los Con Edison will temporarily suspend any electric and gas shutoffs for customers that are having payment difficulties related to COVID-19 coronavirus. After hearing about the states assistance programs, she reached out to the Affordable Housing Alliance in Monmouth County, which counsels New Jersey residents on how to seek help in paying rent and utility bills. 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. Therefore, in addition to the protections included in this new law, it remains vital to ensure that service is restored promptly to all families, even if they were disconnected before the state of emergency began. Electric Service and Billing NYC311 - Government of New York City The problems illuminated now in Texas are interconnected with the decline of the white majority and the liberal order. New York State outlawed the practice of shutting off service for nonpayment during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that's not stopping PSEG from including termination notes for not paying. Most homes in the region are heated with gas, and many of the biggest generators of electricity in the region are fueled with it. https://t.co/mOoOyPQeSb. Pacific Energy Advisors 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. These utility services are vital during this current emergency and, indeed, in everyday life, and their availability should not depend on who can afford them. Coronavirus: National Grid, other NY utilities suspend shut-offs during That means fuel costs more. The company originally announced it would suspend disconnects in mid-March for at least 30 days to assist . They are issuing shut-off warnings while inflation is pushing up the price of many goods, and monthly charges . Governor Cuomo of New York recently signed legislation (Laws of 2020, Chapters 108 and 126) banning the shutoff of residential utility services during the COVID-19 crisis. But for most of the last two years, as the pandemic inflicted widespread financial hardship, overdue utility payments have soared. New York's moratorium on shutting off gas, electricity and water is set to expire 180 days after the Covid-19 state of emergency was lifted, June 24, putting the moratorium on pace to end Dec. 21. Your utility provider must offer you a deferred payment agreement with no money down, no late fees, and no interest. Per Governor Cuomo's March 13, 2020 directive, all energy and water utilities operating under the state's authority have been ordered to halt terminations of service for both commercial and residential customers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. HEAP Energy Assistance NYC311 - Government of New York City IE 11 is not supported. The State Department of Public Service has received fewer than 10 complaints about the termination notices on PSEG bills, the agency confirmed. At one point she owed more than $3,000 to her utility company, the New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG). Im constantly trying to fight and to dig out of a hole that Im in.. New York and New Jersey, where elected officials have extended deadlines numerous times, are the holdouts. 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. Huba said she paid $500 toward the $1,400 she owed Con Edison in hopes of averting a shutoff notice. The Energy 202: Biden under pressure to stop utility shutoffs during Asking for money for "new meters because of coronavirus. Its bogus. Customers can also find great energy savings tips on the Con Edison. Hit By Soaring Con Ed Bills? Here's What You Can Do About It Billions Are Available to Tackle Environmental Racism. Laws affecting this subject may have changed since this article was written. As New Yorkers are staying at home to protect themselves and their families, the need for water, gas, electric, and telecommunications services are even more critical than ever. Cooper: NC utilities will be allowed to disconnect again | Raleigh News We provide free legal aid to people with civil legal problems in western New York. Residents or business owners in the Rockaways can get information from PSEG Long Island. Her work has appeared inUndark,Sierra Magazine,Yes! You must re-apply each year and meet the qualifications to receive a HEAP benefit. Rich Berkley, with the Public Utility Law Project, which advocates for low-income customers in New York, said hes been in touch with state officials to make sure the issue of utility bills is considered during the pandemic. State officials recommend anyone with a shut-off notice to set up a plan now with their electric . Con Edison crews and contractors will observe, . Or, as in Ms. Riveras case, longer than that. Con Edison, the largest utility in the state serving most of New York City, had already informed the Department of Public Service it will suspend all shut-offs in the one-mile radius New Rochelle . Tallahassee, Florida, Deputy Electrical Safety Officer NYCHA building. The Executive Order issued today builds on the steps already taken by the California Public Utilities Commission for private water systems and more than 100 public water systems within the state that have adopted their own policies for not shutting off water service to residents facing financial distress during the health emergency. But Ms. Kerr had good news, telling her that she qualified for the states Fresh Start program. DC Public Service Commission A similar call has gone out in New Jersey. The moratorium on shutoffs now includes its entire New York City and Westchester County territory. 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 . "Promises made not to cut off essential communications service during this time need to be kept," said one FCC commissioner. Plus, there werent even storm windows. Utility relief payments have yet to go out despite imminent end to This is not a bill that I can afford to pay.. For many that included utility bills. He called the state Department of Public Service to complain, about the lack of a quarterly spring bill. That includes 411,694 residential Con Ed customers in New York City and Westchester. Elk River, Minnesota, Analyst/Director (DOE) Start a Post Learn more about posting on Energy Central . Representatives can help you get on plan to pay in installments or defer payment to avoid service disruptions. New York already has requirements for utilities to offer deferred payment agreements before shutting off service, he noted. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. 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. Its really been the crux of my poverty, she told producers of a short film played during the Utility Justice Film Festival in February 2021. Were proud to publish real news 365 days of the year, completely free of charge to our readers. "The last thing we want to do is shut off . The moratorium will be lifted on June 18, two days before a forecasted hotter-than-normal summer arrives. 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 . Thats fair. Your Guide to Internet Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic She says defaulting on utility payments and accruing overdue balances, known as arrearage, is much more common than people realize. That message says, "Please note that due to COVID-19, shut-offs will not occur. Not quite. For an optimal experience visit our site on . 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 www.conEd.com. WSSC Water is one of the utilities considering shutting off service to unresponsive Maryland residents who have fallen behind on their bills. AND I paid the rest of my balance off on 12/21/2021. 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. The state climate law requires New York to get all of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2040, which means transitioning over to clean sources of energy and moving away from combusting gas. Consumer Law Staff Attorney Similarly, many private water service providers have also ceased service disconnections because of customers inability to pay. Governor Issues Water Shutoff Order and Takes Steps to Maintain Most Popular Stories. When Your Service Cannot Be Shut Off. Pandemic-era boosts to SNAP will soon be rolled back, threatening rural communities with little access to alternatives. With utility disconnections set to resume in Washington, advocates push If your service provider is threatening you with a utility shutoff and you have already called them to request shutoff protection, you should call our office. In short, public ownership transforms access to energy from a for-profit service to a basic human right, Navarro writes. 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. 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. 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. Neither does the state, nor any regulatory agency. Anyone can read what you share. Typically customers receive notices about 20 days past an overdue bill, and then 15 days before the company plans to shut off service. Will Shut-offs Follow? Austin, Texas, Energy Analyst Lead (Hybrid) 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. Im a teacher, so I make an OK salary. You will have to self-certify with the utility provider that you had a change in financial circumstances or loss of income due to COVID-19. Great River Energy A 2021 Rocky Mountain Institute report found that gas utilities pass the cost of building new pipelines and mains onto customers, to the tune of hundreds of millions annually, which locks in the use of fossil gas for decades to come. The company has invested $1.3 billion in its electric-delivery systems to keep service reliable this summer and added new technologies to build a clean energy future. In states such as Ohio, New York and New Jersey, state regulators said all major utilities volunteered to pause shutoffs. In an interview Friday with CNBC, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said the Chicago-based quick service chain has had to temporarily close 50 of its nearly 14,000 U.S . The letter also requests an extended two-year moratorium on all utility shutoffs. 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. On April 2, 2020, the Governor issued Executive Order N-42-20 prohibiting shut offs of water service to residences and critical infrastructure sector small businesses. A number of utilities, including Ameren, Con Edison, and Pacific Gas and Electric, also have ramped up assistance programs, which may offer deferred payment plans to those affected by COVID-19 . The Executive Order also requires restoration of service to customers that were disconnected for non-payment Public Utility Commission of Texas 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. What utilities are protected from shutoff? The moratorium will remain in place through the end of April. In the winter, demand is high. The state has to act to protect the most vulnerable households first, he said. PG&E, the utility responsible for some of California's deadliest fires, is hurting people by shutting off power. U.S. Companies Shifted To Make N95 Respirators During COVID. Now - NPR 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. Credit: Steve Haber. 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. You can also apply for the state-run Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, which can provide up to $751 this year toward heating assistance for those who receive food stamps, temporary assistance or Social Security. Top NYPD official tells businesses to demand patrons remove masks in order to enter, Gibsons State of the Borough address aims high amid systemic challenges, Flushing business owners meet with 109th Precinct officers to discuss crime prevention strategies following jewelry, Mayor names Brooklyn Navy Yard as site for $20 million, Calls from Moscow follows four queer Cuban migrants holed up.