Indiana utility regulators announced they will not extend the state's moratorium on utility disconnections, meaning the lights could go out as soon as Saturday for thousands of Hoosiers who fell behind during the coronavirus pandemic.
Consumer advocates had asked the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to extend the moratorium past Friday.
The commission declined to do so, but offered some relief for residents struggling to pay their bills by extending the period in which customers can sign up for payment plans. Regulators explained that they believed many customers will not enlist in payment plans until they are faced with disconnection.
All utilities are now required to offer extended payment plans at least six months long to customers until October 12. The IURC also ordered a suspension of some fees, including late fees, deposits and disconnection and reconnection fees, for residential customers until that date.
The order gives Hoosiers additional time to set up payment arrangements, but does not protect them from disconnections that could start this weekend.
"We are concerned that residential customers in particular may not enter into a payment plan until they face actual disconnection," the order said. "And, following disconnection, the requirement to pay reconnection fees or deposits to restore service will only increase the customer’s outstanding arrearage, which could already be substantial. For these reasons, we decline to extend beyond August 14 the prohibition on utility service disconnections.”
Since Gov. Eric Holcomb issued the moratorium earlier this spring and the COVID-19 pandemic left massive amounts of job losses in its wake, hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers fell more than two months behind on their energy bills.
The moratorium was initially set to end in June, but the IURC extended six weeks as the economic fallout of the pandemic continued impacting customers.
And, consumer advocates say, they continue to impact customers.
The Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, the state's consumer advocacy agency, filed a motion last week requesting the IURC to extend required payment plans to 12 months.
Advocacy organizations Citizens Action Coalition, Indiana Community Action Association and Sierra Club's Hoosier Chapter also filed a motion this week supporting the OUCC motion and asking for the moratorium on shutoffs to be extended indefinitely, "until evidence and data supports these consumer protections are no longer needed."
This story will be updated.
Contact IndyStar reporter London Gibson at 317-419-1912 or lbgibson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @londongibson.
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IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
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Utility disconnections for struggling of Hoosiers may begin Saturday; payment plans extended - IndyStar
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