Avangrid power cutoffs spike with new meters

As Eversource Energy awaits approval to spend as much as $600 million on “smart” meters that can be controlled remotely, Connecticut regulators want to know whether such meters were behind a high number of service disconnects last year at United Illuminating.

The regulators also want to know whether UI staff had too itchy a trigger finger in cutting off customers for nonpayment.

Connecticut had a moratorium in place through September on termination of electric, gas and water service during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Eversource and United Illuminating parent Avangrid having pledged to continue working out payment plans for customers under financial duress.

But in a recent response to a query by state regulators, Avangrid reported a 20.7 percent service termination rate last year across its United Illuminating territories in Connecticut that include Bridgeport, New Haven and surrounding towns, nearly triple the disconnect rate of Eversource in Connecticut.

And the United Illuminating disconnect rate was roughly 10 times the level of service terminations for the New York State Electric & Gas subsidiary of Orange-based Avangrid, that provides service in portions of the Hudson River valley and upstate New York, including Brewster, just over the Connecticut line from Danbury.

An Avangrid spokesperson acknowledged that smart meters were behind the 20.7 percent disconnect rate last year which lumps in customers who have electricity turned off on multiple occasions, but did not provide detailed feedback on how United Illuminating managers identify the tipping point when it will cut off electricity.

As the case with Eversource, Avangrid makes public its disconnection policy, which it can invoke for accounts that are more than 33 days overdue. Under state law, utilities can disconnect customers 13 days after issuing a shut-off notice if customers do not make arrangements to pay, with additional protections during the coldweather months.

“The goal of the process is to get customers to call us so they can avoid disconnection by entering a payment arrangement or enrolling in a hardship program,” stated Avangrid spokesperson Ed Crowder, in an email response to a query. “Through February customers with accrued balances also have the option to enroll in the COVID Payment Program, which lets them pay down bills over up to 24 months with no down-payments, penalties or interest — and protects them from shut-off as long as they’re making payments.”

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority disclosed the United Illuminating disconnect figures last month as part of an ongoing inquiry into arrangements utilities provide customers who are having problems paying the bills. PURA has an existing “bill of rights” governing utility decisions to curtail service.

PURA staff want Avangrid and Eversource to report how many customers have multiple disconnections each year, as well as other detailed information such as “hardship status” including those who have serious medical conditions; and the number of disconnects in each zip code.

While acknowledging the push-button ability smart meters furnish in allowing power to be cut and reinstated, PURA staff noted that California utilities using smart meters had a far lower rate of service termination.

Any changes would require a vote of approval by PURA’s three commissioners.

Rich Sobolewski, Connecticut’s acting consumer counsel, said utilities are in “a tough situation” when it comes to deciding when to cut off service. Electricity customers statewide got a reminder of the resulting inconveniences in early August, after Tropical Storm Isaias ripped a path of destruction through Connecticut’s power lines.

Sobolewski noted that in addition to curtailing service, smart meters allow utilities to resume the flow of electricity promptly, eliminating the wait for customers who reach a resolution on their bills.

“Termination of service (is) a very difficult and complicated situation. Are we talking hardship or non-hardship?” Sobolewski said. “UI has some economically disadvantaged communities, so it does not surprise me the numbers are higher than Eversource and others in the Avangrid family.”