(SALEM, OR) - - Oregon regulators have extended a moratorium on disconnections and late fees for gas and electric utility customers to June 30.
The moratorium, which applies to customers of investor-owned utilities such as Portland General Electric, PacifiCorp, and NW Natural, was set to end on April 1.
“As the economic impacts of the pandemic continue, the extension of the moratorium provides families continued access to essential utility services at a time that so many are struggling to make ends meet and relying on these essential services to attend school and work,” Megan Decker, chair of the Public Utility Commission, said in a statement. “This extension, however, does not mean that utility service can be provided at no cost. Paying what you can now or getting connected with energy assistance programs will help avoid large balances once the moratorium ends.”
Around 97,000 customers were 90 or more days behind on their bills as of December, nearly four times the number before the pandemic, the commission said. Past-due balances totaled $48.3 million, up 631%.
Under an agreement approved by the commission in November, utilities are required to have arrearage management plans in place by April 1. Arrearages could be waived at an initial amount of at least 1% of each utility’s Oregon 2019 retail revenues — $39 million in total; the commission said — under the agreement.
When the pandemic hit
last March, the utilities quickly sought deferred accounting of costs related
to Covid-19 for future recovery through rates.
