Families are hurting because of COVID-19 and the state needs to hear from you that now is not the time to cut people off electricity, strap them with unaffordable bills, and allow utility shareholders to put additional expense on rate payers. We need you to show up and weigh in.
TAKE ACTION TODAY
Over these next two weeks, Washington’s Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) – which regulates private, investor-owned energy utilities – will make decisions about:
- When utilities start disconnecting households from power due to non-payment,
- If utilities institute bill assistance programs that erase the utility debt of low-income households,
- And if utilities pay their fair share of COVID-19 pandemic-related costs.
Join Front and Centered member organization Puget Sound Sage in making your voice heard! Submit comments to the UTC by this Wednesday, September 30th. Share your story about why this issue is important to you and join us in asking the UTC to:
- Keep Washington families connected to power. This includes, at a minimum, guaranteeing service until all counties in a utility’s service district are in Phase 4 of Governor Inslee’s Safe Start Plan. Ultimately, we know energy is a fundamental need and no one should be disconnected from access.
- Support low-income families by approving staff’s proposal for each utility to provide up to $2,500 in bill assistance to households earning up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Through the Clean Energy Transition Act Front and Centered help draft and pass, utilities will be required to plan for a massive increase in assistance, but we can’t wait given the current crisis. Households need support now.
- Require utilities to pay their fair share. This includes but is not limited to: prohibiting deferred accounting petitions regarding late payment fees and reconnection charges that utilities are legally prohibited from collecting during the pandemic by Governor Inslee’s Proclamation.
The COVID-19 pandemic is not over and neither can the protections we need to weather this crisis. We know that this is just the beginning and we look forward to working with you to ensure energy justice!
Please reach out with any questions!
Sameer Ranade | (he/him/his)
Civic Engagement and Policy Manager
Mobile: 360-218-4642 | Office: 206-487-4303
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