Input sought on utilities shutoffs by commission chairwoman

The chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission wants to hear from stakeholders about how to transition out of a moratorium that the state agency placed on utility shutoffs in mid-March.

After a stalemate at the PUC has twice failed to move the needle on the termination ban, Gladys Brown Dutrieuille is attempting to force the issue into a public discussion.

In a letter on Monday, Ms. Dutrieuille encouraged stakeholders to submit comments on the current policy, which bans utilities from terminating clients for nonpayment in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to offer their thoughts about customer protections needed if the moratorium is lifted.

The PUC unanimously instituted the moratorium in midMarch after Gov. Tom Wolf issued an emergency declaration because of COVID-19.

Since then, two commissioners have attempted to lift the ban while the other two voted to have a stakeholder group inform the decision. Both of those motions failed because of the 2-2 split.

“It is time to reconsider the March 13 Emergency Order,” Ms. Dutrieuille wrote on Monday.

She said she plans to address the moratorium at the PUC’s Aug. 27 meeting and asked that all comments be submitted by Aug. 18.

Comments can be sent to the Secretary of the Commission at rchiavetta@pa.gov — referencing PUC docket number M-20203019244 — or filed directly on the PUC’s website using an eFiling account.