Ratepayers running out of time to settle their electric bills

IMPERIAL — Imperial Irrigation District customers who have fallen behind on their electric bills during the pandemic are running out of time to make arrangements to avoid being disconnected.

Customers who have either not paid their balances or who have not put a payment plan in place by Feb. 17 will be subject to having their power disconnected.

IID’s past due accounts still total $10.3 million, though IID Finance Director Belen Valenzuela said that is a drop of $1.3 million from December.

In December there were 13,162 accounts. In January, that number dropped to 10,010. It was the first time that number had dropped since March 2020.

IID Director Norma Sierra Galindo said she thinks the moratorium ending had a direct impact on this, but she was disappointed at the low number of delinquent customers who have entered into installment plans so far.

“But it’s only been two weeks,” she said, adding it may take some customers seeing others having their utilities shut off to respond.

She said delinquent ratepayers who do have their power disconnected for non-payment likely will have to pay a reconnection fee.

Of the $10.3 million in accounts past due more than 31 days, 3,152 accounts totaling $5.8 million are on the disconnect list.

“This is still very high, but this is an improvement from December,” Valenzuela said.

She said 167 installment plans were made from Jan. 20 to Jan. 28.

She added that since the announcement disconnections were going to be reinstated Feb. 17, there has been an average of 17 installment plans per day, most which are residential accounts.

Valenzuela said there are still relief funds available for customers impacted by COVID-19.

The Imperial County relief funds have made $123,000 in delinquent payments for 179 accounts. There are also grants up to $10,000 to assist qualifying businesses and non-profits affected by the stay-at-home orders.

These programs end Feb. 12.

IID has posted notice of the moratorium ending via letter, newsletter, print ads, news releases, news reports, radio and television commercials, social media posts, and IID website.

IID also has enlisted the assistance of groups to hand out door fliers to customers who are delinquent.