Utilities’ actions in crisis probed

State looking into payment demands during COVID-19

Connecticut regulators on Friday opened an investigation of payment demands by Eversource Energy and United Illuminating of consumers and wage garnishments the utilities obtained during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority acted in response to a request by the state Office of Consumer Counsel that said the utilities’ efforts, which included suing customers to recover money, violate regulators’ intent to help low-income utility customers during the public health crisis.

“From OCC’s perspective, these collection practices are in direct contradiction to (PURA’s) stated objective to protect Connecticut customers from financial distress caused by late or past due utility balances during the COVID-19 emergency,” interim Consumer Counsel Claire E. Coleman said in her request to PURA.

Responding to a request in March 2020 by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority established a moratorium halting electricity and gas shut-offs for nonpayment. State public health orders shut many businesses, leaving hundreds of thousands of utility customers unemployed and in financial distress.

Numerous relief programs also were established to help consumers who faced hardships.

Avangrid, the parent company of United Illuminating, Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas, reported obtaining 263 judgments against customers in 2020 and 2021 and 80 wage garnishments, the Office of Consumer Counsel said.

Eversource, which includes Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas, reported obtaining 44 judgments and 13 wage garnishments in the two years.

Avangrid spokesman Gage Frank said UI, Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern