PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Utility companies in Pennsylvania can once again cut off your service starting Thursday. That's because the moratorium on utility shutoffs in the commonwealth is lifted after March 31.
This marks the first time during the pandemic utility companies can shut you off if you're behind on your bills.
KYW Newsradio spoke with PECO, PGW and PPL Electric. All of them said the same thing and that is they do not want to cut off anybody's service. In fact, their goal is to make sure that doesn't happen.
All of the companies offer payment options and assistance plans. They say figure out what you're going to do now, before Thursday.
Here's what each company offers and how to reach them and get more information.
PECO
PECO offers smaller payment plans of a month or a year, to much larger ones.
"For customers who are our most vulnerable customers," explained PECO Chief Customer Officer Funmi Williamson, "who are at 250% federal poverty level or below, essentially they can spread their payment option for up to five years which is significant and can make a big impact on someone's day to day."
The example she gave is if you owe $1,000 and are on the five-year plan, that's less than $17 a month you'd have to pay.
PECO also has a Customer Assistance Program (CAP).
"Where we really provide credits to our customers on their bill," said Williamson. "This is one of those ones where you have to be income-qualified and it's really for our most vulnerable customers. And for customers who are newly signed up for CAP, they are eligible to have their arrearages forgiven, and so that is a one-time benefit."
This program has been around well before the pandemic started.
"I will say there is a variety of federal and state programs in place now that customers working through their counties are able to benefit that would help them offset some of their bills," added Williamson.
PECO said less people than they expected signed help for the extra help and they hope more people will take advantage of them with the moratorium ending.
Customers can learn about their options at PECO's website or by calling the customer care center at 1-800-494-4000.
PGW
Philadelphia Gas Works has payment assistance programs like the Customer Responsibility Program they want people to sign up for immediately.
"We're really encouraging customers to reach out to us, find out what their options are," said PGW Public Information Manager Richard Barnes. "We understand it's been very difficult."
He reiterated over and over again while speaking with KYW Newsradio the last thing PGW wants to do is shut anybody off.
"PGW understands what our customers have been going through during this whole COVID-19 pandemic and we're here to help," added Barnes.
Customers can learn about their options at PGW's website or by calling the customer care team at 215-235-1000.
PPL ELECTRIC
PPL Electric Regional Affairs Director Jane George told KYW Newsradio there's been an increase in overdue balances since the pandemic began and they never want to terminate anyone's service.
"We want to reassure our customers that if they're struggling with their electric bill, we are here to help," she said.
So PPL Electric also has a variety of payment plans and assistant programs like the OnTrack payment plan which offers debt forgiveness and Operation HELP which helps customers pay their bill.
"We want to reassure our customers that if they're struggling with their electric bill, we are here to help," added George.
She said customers can pick the monthly due dates of their bills to coincide with when their paychecks come.
Customers can learn more at PPL Electric's site or can call 1-800-342-5775 for payment assistance.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is available for all utility customers to also sign up for now, but that ends next month.
The utility companies also want to warn about scammers that tend to take advantage of situations like the moratorium ending by calling you to tell you your service will be cut off if you don't pay them right now.
No utility company would handle the situation this way, they said, and you would receive multiple notices before a service cutoff.