At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) issued a blanket ban on utility shutoffs, protecting customers from losing their utility service because of unpaid bills.
In October 2020, the PUC changed the ban to allow shutoffs, BUT low-income customers (below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level, or FPL) remain protected from shutoffs until March 31st, 2021, by following these steps.
We don’t know what is going to happen after March 31st, 2021, but we’re asking the PUC to
1) Continue the current shutoff ban for low-income customers; and
2) Establish a plan to resolve the growing utility debts that many customers have accumulated over the course of the pandemic.
It is irresponsible and dangerous to shut off service to customers during a pandemic, and without a plan to equitably resolve utility debt, households that are already struggling financially will suffer even more.
We want to tell the PUC why they CANNOT leave Pennsylvanians in the dark. Share your story about why the ban on shutoffs has helped your family and the impact that utility debt could have on your household in the future.
Please do not use this form to get legal assistance. We cannot take cases through this form. If you live in Philadelphia, please call us at 215-981-3700 and leave us a message if you need legal assistance with your utilities. You can find more information at clsphila.org/services/utilities/.
