At a Public Utility Commission of Texas meeting Wednesday, AARP Texas said it will renew calls for the PUC to institute a total moratorium on disconnecting utility services due to non-payment.
Currently, the PUC prohibits electric providers from disconnecting service when the National Weather Service has a heat advisory in place.
This emergency petition, first filed alongside the Texas Consumer Association back in July, argues the state should go one step further, halting all disconnections through Sept. 15.
Advocates say that’s because this year’s heat wave is a public health crisis.
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“It kind of builds up, all of those individuals are not able to pay for their bill. The providers just kind of hold off until there’s cooler weather, and then there’s an influx of individuals that have their electricity disconnected right before there’s another heat wave,” said AARP’s State Director of Advocacy and Outreach Stephanie Mace.
Responding to a request from NBC5, Public Utility Commission of Texas Chief Press Officer Ellie Breed issued a statement:
"Protecting the health and safety of Texans is the Commission’s top priority at all times. The PUCT has rules in place to ensure reliable and continuous electric service during extreme heat and cold. These rules prohibit electric providers from disconnecting service for non-payment to any customer during extreme weather events.
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Moratoriums that prohibit service disconnections for non-payment are triggered by extreme weather conditions and have been and remain in effect in multiple counties in the state. This page on ERCOT’s website includes market notices that indicate which service areas are currently under disconnection moratoriums.
The rules prohibiting disconnections during extreme weather are outlined in Chapter 25 of the PUCT’s Substantive Rules, specifically 25.483 for retail electric providers (REPs) in ERCOT and 25.29i for integrated utilities outside of ERCOT. This also includes the definitions of extreme weather emergencies, which adhere to National Weather Service advisory criteria. Transmission and distribution utilities are required to notify the Commission of extreme weather emergencies on each day that an emergency has been issued for a county in its service area.
Our rules also require retail electric providers in ERCOT to offer deferred payment plans upon request for bills that become due during emergency weather conditions. If someone is experiencing financial challenges related to higher-than-normal energy bills, they should contact their provider or call 211 for information on other financial assistance available in their area. We encourage Texans to explore these existing options, which can provide financial relief during the summer months, but also help customers avoid the accumulation of multiple months’ bills.
The PUCT’s Consumer Protection Division (CPD) is always available to work with Texans to reconcile issues related to their utility service. We encourage customers to first contact their provider, and if they are unable to reach a resolution they can contact CPD by emailing customer@puc.texas.gov or calling 1-888-782-8477."
With warnings and heat advisories in place, the disconnections are prohibited right now.