AG Ferguson calls on UTC to protect Washingtonians from utility shut-offs amid COVID-19 pandemic

Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued a proposal that calls on the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to, among other protections, ban utility late fees and utility service disconnections until at least April 30, 2021. 

These protections ensure vulnerable Washingtonians don’t lose the services they need to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic crisis.

Ferguson issued the proposal to the UTC in partnership with the Sierra Club, NW Energy Coalition, The Energy Project, Front and Centered and Puget Sound Sage. 

The UTC is currently considering how private energy utilities should be allowed to collect past-due utility bills during the COVID-19 pandemic. The commission will make its final decision after a public meeting on Oct. 6. 

The public is welcome to attend this meeting remotely and participate by phone or Skype. Learn more about the meeting, including how to attend, at the UTC’s website.

“Washingtonians are hurting,” Ferguson said. “This is not the time to put individuals at risk of losing critical services they need, like heat and electricity.”

More information here