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Ex. AGY-ST-UTILITIES-HOUSING-AG-015 Order Primary source read

Press release, 'PUC Enhances Utility Protections for Families & Businesses Struggling with Financial Impact of COVID-19' (October 8, 2020), reporting the Commission's order modifying the March 13, 2020 Emergency Order

Termination moratorium lifted effective November 9, 2020 for customers able to pay; no terminations for residential customers within 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines; 18-month payment arrangements for small businesses; waiver of connection, reconnection and deposit fees and late payment charges for protected customers; monthly reporting through March 31, 2021

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (Motion adopted at the October 8, 2020 public meeting; order entered at Docket M-2020-3019244) · Pennsylvania (State public utility commission) (Sector regulator)

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The COVID Project

The record

Jurisdiction
Pennsylvania (State public utility commission) · Pennsylvania
Level
Sector regulator
Authority
66 Pa.C.S. 501, 1501; 52 Pa. Code ch. 3
Issued
2020-10-08 Oct. 8, 2020
Effective
2020-10-08 (safeguards); terminations permitted from 2020-11-09 (read as 2020-10-08)
End
'The consumer safeguards and monthly reports established in the Motion will remain in effect no later than March 31, 2021, unless the Governor's Emergency Proclamation is rescinded before that date or the Commission establishes a different timeframe' (read as 2021-03-31)
In force
Oct. 8, 2020 to Mar. 31, 2021
Quarters
2020 Q42021 Q1
Limitation types
Other
Addressees
  • all jurisdictional electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, telecommunications and steam utilities
Functions reached
  • OP collections and termination operations (all terminations barred Mar. 13-Nov. 9, 2020; protected-customer and small-business terminations barred to Mar. 31, 2021)
  • CB small business customers entitled to 18-month arrangements
  • SV termination and reconnection work
  • OF monthly reporting and 10-day pre-termination notices
Collection
State utilities, housing and agriculture agencies AGY-ST-UTILITIES-HOUSING-AG

Operative words

Today's new PUC consumer safeguards modify an earlier emergency order suspending all public utility terminations, which was issued by the Commission in mid-March.... No Terminations for 'Protected Customers' - Utilities shall not terminate service for residential customers with incomes within 300% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG), unless otherwise authorized by the Commission.... Payment Arrangements for Small Businesses - Utilities shall offer a payment arrangement for a period of no less than 18 months to small business customers, as defined by a utility's tariff. A small business customer who remains current on its payment arrangement and current bill shall not be terminated. Waiver of Connection/Reconnection Fees - Utilities shall waive all connection, reconnection and deposit fees for protected customers. No Late Payment Charges - Late payment charges are waived for protected customers.... With these enhanced safeguards in place for struggling households and small businesses, the PUC's emergency moratorium on all other utility terminations will be lifted, effective Nov. 9, 2020. This applies to all electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, telecommunications, and [steam utilities].

Enforcement

66 Pa.C.S. 3301; monthly reports due December 15, 2020 and the 15th of each month to March 31, 2021

Notes

The release states that the termination and collections moratorium 'can resume November 9 for customers able to pay.'

Retrieval note

Rendered from the October 30, 2020 Wayback capture of the Commission's release; body text confirmed.

A record of The COVID Project. The instrument's text is the source's; the summary fields are The COVID Project's reading of it. Not legal advice.