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White House says Elon Musk isn't in charge at DOGE, but 'advising' the president; CA schools brace for harmful cuts to Medi-Cal; Report says AR students still struggle with COVID-19 learning loss; and UT enacts controversial labor union law.

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WA Groups Seek for Protections for Utility Customers as Crisis Lingers

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Monday, October 5, 2020   

SEATTLE -- A state agency holds a public hearing this week on guideline changes for utility companies in Washington.

At issue is a moratorium on disconnections during the pandemic, and groups are calling for a host other moves to protect vulnerable customers.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission is expected to decide whether to extend the moratorium, due to expire Oct. 15, until April 30 of next year. It would apply to investor-owned utilities.

Ruth Sawyer, organizer for the Washington State Sierra Club said they know many customers are already behind on payments, and more will struggle this winter with the pandemic and related economic crisis.

"Some of these protections are going to be really important for families who are struggling," Sawyer implored. "Just a little bit of relief in this really, really difficult time."

The groups also want an end to late fees and disconnection fees, and say customers' credit ratings shouldn't suffer if they fall behind during the crisis.

The public hearing will be held online this Tuesday, starting at 1:00 p.m.

The coalition pointed out some utilities have a history of putting profits before customers, and they feel it needs to stop with families in dire situations.

One suggestion is to require temporary cuts to executive pay and shareholder returns on investment.

Katrina Peterson, Climate Justice Program manager for the group Puget Sound Sage, said public records show the utilities aren't exactly hurting.

"Clearly, we know that they actually have the resources," Peterson emphasized. "They are just making conscious and explicit choices to continue to make profit during this pandemic."

She noted Puget Sound Energy (PSE) paid nearly $20 million to its top four executives last year.

In a response, the company said, "Customers have been, and will continue to be the primary focus during this pandemic."

PSE also launched a special assistance program in April that has helped 13,000 customers. But Peterson said these types of programs don't have the best track record of reaching all customers in need.

Disclosure: Sierra Club-Beyond Coal Campaign contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, Environment, and Environmental Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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