HomeMy WebLinkAboutCPUC – Press Release, CPUC Provides Wildfire-Impacted Customers with Info on Automatic Protections Schuman, Amy
From: Menchaca, Clarissa
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2019 9:08 AM
To: Schuman, Amy
Subject: FW: PRESS RELEASE:CPUC PROVIDES WILDFIRE-IMPACTED CUSTOMERS WITH
INFORMATION ON AUTOMATIC PROTECTIONS
Correspondence.
Chi a,Me ncaca.
Associate Clerk of the Board
Butte County Administration
25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965
T: 530.552.33081 F: 530.538.7120
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From: Paydar, Naveed <Naveed.Paydar@cpuc.ca.gov>
Sent:Wednesday, November 14,2018 3:07 PM
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: CPUC PROVIDES WILDFIRE-IMPACTED CUSTOMERS WITH INFORMATION ON AUTOMATIC
PROTECTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE
Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov
CPUC PROVIDES WILDFIRE-IMPACTED CUSTOMERS WITH INFORMATION ON
AUTOMATIC PROTECTIONS
SAN FRANCISCO, November 14, 2018 - The California Public Utilities Commission(CPUC) would like to let
those impacted by the devastating wildfires in our state know that there are customer protections that are
automatically available to them as a result of the State of Emergency declared in California.
Electric and Natural Gas Utility Customer Protections
• Disconnections: Wildfire-impacted customers cannot be disconnected for nonpayment and associated
fees.
• Discontinue Billing: Utilities must discontinue billing customers whose homes are not capable of
receiving utility services, and utilities cannot asses a disconnection charge.
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• Waive Deposits: Utilities must waive deposit requirements for affected residents seeking to re-establish
service for one year, and must expedite move-in and move-out service requests.
• Estimated Billing: Utilities must stop energy usage estimates for billing for the time the home/unit was
unoccupied as a result of the wildfires.
• Payment Plans: Affected customers who have prior arrearages and have lost their homes or have been
displaced and are seeking to establish service in a new residence must be offered a payment plan with an
initial payment of no greater than 20 percent of the amount due, and with equal installments for the
remainder of not less than 12 billing cycles.
• Minimum Bills: Utilities must prorate any monthly access charge or minimum charges for affected
customers typically assessed so that no customer will bear any of these costs for the time period after the
customer's home was rendered unserviceable by a fire.
Water and Sewer Utility Customer Protections
• Unpaid Bills: Water companies must work cooperatively with affected customers to resolve
unpaid bills, and minimize disconnections for non-payment.
• Waive Reconnection and Facilities Fees: Water companies must waive reconnection or
facilities fees for affected customers and suspend deposits for affected customers who must
reconnect to the system.
• Payment Plans: Water companies must provide reasonable payment options to affected
customers.
• Bill Waiver Water companies must waive bills for victims who lost their homes.
Home Telephone Service Customer Protections
Communication companies in fire-impacted areas must refund their customers who have home phone service
for the periods that the customers are without service due to the wildfires. Carriers of Last Resort must waive
certain charges, such as connection fees, for affected customers.
The CPUC is monitoring the fire conditions throughout the state, in coordination with our partners from CAL
FIRE and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). CAL FIRE determines the
sources of ignition of the fires. The CPUC's staff investigations assess the compliance of electric facilities with
applicable rules and regulations in fire-impacted areas.
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The CPUC regulates services and utilities, safeguards the environment, and assures Californians' access to safe
and reliable utility infrastructure and services. For more information on the CPUC,please visit
www.cpuc.ca.gov.
###
Naveed Paydar, PhD
;o Local Government Liaison
':.;17p,:774.,.11'$-Ail' Executive Division
s;;�„f j ' California Public Utilities Commission
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'''.:.;"0.-,ft- 505 Van Ness Ave.San Francisco,CA 94102
Office:(415)703-1437 I Mobile:(415)516-4346
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