Staff Counsel will develop stipulations based on the tentative agreements. The terms of the agreements are being finalized by PUC Staff and regulated energy, water, and telecommunications service providers, including: Portland General Electric, NW Natural Gas, Pacific Power, Avista, Idaho Power, Cascade Natural Gas, Avion Water, Oregon Water Utilities, NW Natural Water, Oregon Telecommunications Association, Lumen (formerly CenturyLink), and Ziply Fiber (formerly Frontier); as well as numerous stakeholders including Citizens’ Utility Board, Community Action Partners of Oregon, Verde, Northwest Energy Coalition, and Multnomah County Office of Sustainability, among others. The Commission is committed to taking this challenge on.”.

Call your REP to make payment arrangements or request to enter into a deferred payment plan. If you are unaware of whom your lender is, you can call the California Student Aid Commission at 1-800-298-9490. Public Utility Commission of Texas. HALLOWELL, Maine — The Maine Public Utilities Commission announced that a moratorium on utility disconnections will end Nov. 1. Read below for additional information.

These included establishing terms on service disconnections, reconnections, time payment arrangements, waiver of fees related to late payments, provisions to protect customers’ credit, self-certification of medical certificates, and work on programs that can assist people in donating funds to help neighbors unable to pay their bills, among others. Oregon PUC Approves Framework to Protect Utility Customers Impacted by COVID-19. Customers that have medical conditions and are at risk of being disconnected may request a deferred payment plan for the balance due.

local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. “In addition to confirming the actions taken by the utilities, the Commission also wanted to further investigate the impacts of the pandemic on customers, and further evaluate additional and future actions to protect utility customers, especially low income and vulnerable populations, during and after the pandemic,” added Commissioner Thompson.

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) can help. Austin, TX 78711-3326

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) regulates customer rates and services of the state’s investor-owned electric, natural gas and telephone utilities, as well as select water companies. The results of these discussions were separate agreements, which had broad support from the participants in the investigation, for energy, telecommunications, and water utilities that would benefit utility customers through a variety of measures. The terms of the agreements are being finalized by PUC Staff and regulated energy, water, and telecommunications service providers, including: Portland General Electric, NW Natural Gas, Pacific Power, Avista, Idaho Power, Cascade Natural Gas, Avion Water, Oregon Water Utilities, NW Natural Water, Oregon Telecommunications Association, Lumen (formerly CenturyLink), and Ziply Fiber (formerly Frontier); as well as numerous stakeholders including Citizens’ Utility Board, Community Action Partners of Oregon, Verde, Northwest Energy Coalition, and Multnomah County Office of Sustainability, among others. Not already be enrolled in a payment arrangement or other special terms related to the COVID-19 crisis. Charges filed following September 23 riot in downtown Portland, Black man sues Wells Fargo, says he was denied service, Fourth, Fifth & Sixth COVID-19 fatalities in Wasco County, Illegal Marijuana Growing Operations in Klickitat County, Oregon Woman Accused Of Interfering With Police Making Arrests During Civil Disorder In Portland, Hiker found dead in North Cascades identified. List of Utilities.

For additional information, view the PUC’s COVID-19 Aftermath Report with details on the agreements for energy, telecommunications and water utilities. FlashAlert utilizes the free service Twitter to distribute emergency text messages. Even prior to this time, investor-owned utilities proactively suspended disconnections of residential and non-residential accounts, stopped issuing late and final notices, suspended assessing late fees, and offered more flexible payment options for their customers in recognition of the hardships caused by the pandemic, and the importance of utility services. Twitter sends messages out exceptionally fast thanks to arrangements they have made with the cell phone companies.

Click here to add Oregon Public Utility Commission to your Twitter account or create one. The Staff can help customers negotiate payment arrangements with regulated utilities SPECIAL PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMERS OF ELECTRIC AND NATURAL GAS UTILITIES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) has conducted an investigation and approved a framework designed to protect residential and small commercial utility customers by ensuring continued access to essential services during COVID-19 and in the aftermath of the pandemic.

As part of the investigation, the PUC engaged participants in a dynamic and inclusive public process, which provided invaluable feedback, collaboration, and compromise from stakeholders representing utility and customer interests across Oregon. Have his/her attending physician (for purposes of this subsection, the "physician" shall mean any public health official, including medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and any other similar public health official) call or contact the REP no later than the stated date of disconnection; Have his/her attending physician submit a written statement to the REP; and. SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) has conducted an investigation and approved a framework designed to protect residential and small commercial utility customers by ensuring continued access to essential services during COVID-19 and in the aftermath of the pandemic. The third party must sign a confidentiality agreement with the REP to ensure the protection of your information.

  512-936-7000 “During the pandemic, Oregonians have found themselves more reliant on their utility services as they now stay at home to combat the pandemic, stay home to work where possible, and even educate their children at home,” said Mark Thompson, PUC Commissioner.

The moratorium on disconnections was implemented in March at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the state. It is important to keep up with the terms of the payment plan, or you could be disconnected. The results of these discussions were separate agreements, which had broad support from the participants in the investigation, for energy, telecommunications, and water utilities that would benefit utility customers through a variety of measures. The agreement for energy utilities also includes a condition concerning arrearage management plans to assist residential customers with outstanding balances. Get Started The Public Utility Commission of Texas as part of Commission’s regulatory oversight. For additional information, view the PUC’s COVID-19 Aftermath Report with details on the agreements for energy, telecommunications and water utilities. “This increased reliance on utility services also comes at a time where many customers’ ability to pay for these services has diminished due to the economic impacts COVID-19 has had on so many in our communities.”. In June 2020, the PUC held a public meeting to hear from the regulated investor-owned utilities, as well as customer groups and interested stakeholders on the impacts of COVID-19 and actions taken by utilities to protect customers.

Even prior to this time, investor-owned utilities proactively suspended disconnections of residential and non-residential accounts, stopped issuing late and final notices, suspended assessing late fees, and offered more flexible payment options for their customers in recognition of the hardships caused by the pandemic, and the importance of utility services. “This increased reliance on utility services also comes at a time where many customers’ ability to pay for these services has diminished due to the economic impacts COVID-19 has had on so many in our communities.”. “We value stakeholders’ active participation in this process and willingness to compromise and work together to develop agreements that benefit utility customers, especially as Oregonians are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic and now the wildfires that have impacted so many in our state,” added Commissioner Thompson. In June 2020, the PUC held a public meeting to hear from the regulated investor-owned utilities, as well as customer groups and interested stakeholders on the impacts of COVID-19 and actions taken by utilities to protect customers. Officials confirm 3 new sightings of Asian giant hornets, Federal agencies decide the Columbia River System Operations environmental impact statement balances system purposes, Weather service forecasts smoky skies in Washington state. “During the pandemic, Oregonians have found themselves more reliant on their utility services as they now stay at home to combat the pandemic, stay home to work where possible, and even educate their children at home,” said Mark Thompson, PUC Commissioner.   Contact Web Support, Copyright ©

You are eligible for a deferred payment plan if you have not received more than two termination notices in the past year. The agreement for energy utilities also includes a condition concerning arrearage management plans to assist residential customers with outstanding balances.

You will need to contact your Stafford Loan lender for details and payment arrangements or to make arrangements for student deferment status should you begin attending a school again.

In June 2020, the PUC held a public meeting to hear from the regulated investor-owned utilities, as well as customer groups and interested stakeholders on the impacts of COVID-19 and actions taken by utilities to protect customers. We also recognize the need to further examine systemic problems that low-income and vulnerable populations face with high energy burden on an ongoing basis, which were explored in our investigation. SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) has conducted an investigation and approved a framework designed to protect residential and small commercial utility customers by ensuring continued access to essential services during COVID-19 and in the aftermath of the pandemic. Emergency Messages as of 8:57 pm, Wed. Sep. 30. Ready to enroll? “We value stakeholders’ active participation in this process and willingness to compromise and work together to develop agreements that benefit utility customers, especially as Oregonians are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic and now the wildfires that have impacted so many in our state,” added Commissioner Thompson. These stipulations will be brought back to the Commission for final approval at a later date. ... Those are the individuals responsible for making decisions about payment arrangements, late fees, and disconnection procedures for these entities. Staff Counsel will develop stipulations based on the tentative agreements. A My Account is needed to enroll in a payment arrangement online.

These stipulations will be brought back to the Commission for final approval at a later date. Submit your questions or complaint by email, or call Consumer Services at 503-378-6600 or 800-522-2404. “In addition to confirming the actions taken by the utilities, the Commission also wanted to further investigate the impacts of the pandemic on customers, and further evaluate additional and future actions to protect utility customers, especially low income and vulnerable populations, during and after the pandemic,” added Commissioner Thompson. @PUCOregon. The REP may also share your information with: PO Box 13326 The Commission is committed to taking this challenge on.”. View more news releases from Oregon Public Utility Commission.

The Consumer Assistance Staff helps utility customers understand their rights and responsibilities. The PUC’s mission is to ensure Oregon utility customers have access to safe, reliable, and high quality utility services at just and reasonable rates, which is accomplished through thorough analysis and independent decision-making conducted in an open and fair process.