Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Public Utilities Regulatory Authority

Electric and gas utilities have begun notifying residential customers with unpaid and/or past-due balances that if they do not take action and contact their utility to enroll in a payment plan, they are at risk of having their gas services terminated on Thursday, May 2, 2024. If your household has received a notification from your utility company, please contact them directly to set up a payment plan to keep your services on. These plans charge no interest, and all customers qualify at least once for one or more of these plans. After engaging with utility providers, customers may also contact PURA’s customer affairs unit for specific questions regarding payment arrangements. View eligibility, utility contact information

Press Releases

PURA Press Release Header

09/23/2020

PURA Extends COVID-19 Payment Program Enrollment Date

Critical information on residential shut-off moratorium and financial assistance program

Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) today issued a ruling that will extend the enrollment period for the COVID-19 Payment Program for non-residential customers through November 1, 2020. The enrollment period for the COVID-19 Payment Program for both residential and non-residential customers will now extend through November 1, 2020. 

PURA also reminds all residential customers that the “Shut-off Moratorium” currently in place for state-regulated electric, gas and water utilities is scheduled to conclude on September 30, 2020. PURA encourages all customers experiencing difficulty paying their utility bills to contact their utility company and to ask:

  • First, whether the customer is eligible to be “coded hardship.” Special financial assistance programs are available to hardship customers.For more information, see this Operation Fuel website;
  • Second, if ineligible for hardship status, to be placed on a COVID-19 Payment Plan.

 

Important Dates:

  • The Shut-off Moratorium for non-hardship residential customers is scheduled to conclude on September 30, 2020.
  • Enrollment for the COVID-19 Payment Program for non-residential and residential customers is open until November 1, 2020.

 

COVID-19 Payment Plans:

  • Are available to any customer requesting financial assistance, without demonstrating financial need;
  • Require no initial or down payment;
  • Can be up to twenty-four (24) months in length;
  • Waive any fees or interest in the calculation of the monthly payment amount;
  • Facilitate the repayment of the past due balances in addition to the customer’s current monthly bill.

Importantly, any customer enrolled in a COVID-19 Payment Program who is current with their payment terms cannot be disconnected even once the Shut-off Moratoriums have concluded.


Contact

Taren O'Connor
Director of Legislation, Regulation and Communication
860-827-2689
Taren.Oconnor@ct.gov