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 On Thursday, the ICC voted unanimously in favor of
a stipulated agreement negotiated by Commission Staff, the Attorney
General’s Office and other consumer advocate groups, and the state’s
largest utilities, offering temporary, more flexible credit and
collection procedures to customers financially hard hit by COVID-19.
A separate agreement was also approved with smaller electricity, gas
and water utilities that serve Illinois residents.
“More than one million unemployment claims have been filed in
Illinois since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and even as
Illinois begins the process of reopening, uncertainty remains. The
terms of this agreement acknowledge that families and small
businesses across Illinois are hurting and may need additional help
managing their utility bills to stay connected once the moratorium
on shutoffs is lifted,” said ICC Chairman Carrie Zalewski. “Reaching
this agreement was no easy task. I would like to thank all of the
parties involved for their time, compassion and hard work.”
On March 18, 2020, at the request of Governor JB Pritzker and
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, the ICC formalized a moratorium on
utility disconnections and late payment fees to ensure the
continuation of essential services during the COVID-19 public health
emergency in Docket No. 20-0309. As part of the order, the
Commission also directed the utilities to implement plans to offer
temporary flexible credit and collection practices during the
recovery process which launched negotiations into the stipulated
agreement.
“At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, at my request, Chairman
Zalewski led the Commission’s work to end utility shutoffs and late
payment fees to ease the burden and provide peace of mind for
residents during this unprecedented crisis. The collaborative
agreement finalized today takes a step further in that same spirit
and will provide much needed relief and bill assistance to families
throughout our recovery," said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
The large utility stipulated agreement covers eight of the state’s
major utility companies, including: Aqua Illinois, Illinois-American
Water Company, Utility Services of Illinois, Inc., Ameren Illinois
Company, Northern Illinois Gas Company (Nicor Gas), North Shore Gas
Company, The Peoples Gas Light & Coke Company (Peoples Gas), and
Commonwealth Edison (ComEd). The terms of the stipulated agreement
with the large utilities include extending the moratorium on
disconnections and suspension of late payment fees until Illinois
enters Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, or
August 1, 2020, whichever comes first, and for an additional 30 days
beyond that for most customers. The large utilities will then have
30 days to notify residential consumers with past due balances on
their account about the more flexible payment and bill assistance
options available and how to enroll before disconnection notices are
sent.
Other meaningful provisions of the large utility agreement will
allow residential customers struggling to pay their utility bills to
pay back accrued balances over an extended period of time depending
on financial hardship. The customer’s expression of financial
hardship can be verbal and not require documentation. Additionally,
reduced down payments on deferred payment arrangements (DPAs) will
be available, and for those eligible for the Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or other bill payment assistance, DPAs
will be offered with no down payment.
Among other terms of the stipulated agreement with the state’s
largest utilities are:
• Deposits associated with late or non-payment arrearages or credit
related issues for new or existing customers shall be waived for at
least six months for residential customers who express financial
hardship.
• Utilities must reconnect customers previously disconnected for
nonpayment and waive any reconnection fees for a period of at least
six months for LIHEAP-qualified customers and customers experiencing
financial hardship.
• Reconnection information and temporary credit and collection
policies must be displayed on utility websites.
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• Utility companies will continue their current
practice of not reporting late payments and nonpayment for active
customers to credit bureaus and reporting agencies.
• Extensive reporting by the utility companies is required to ensure
compliance with the stipulated agreement and monthly disconnection,
credit and collections data must be reported by zip code or service
region or district so that the commission may evaluate the impact on
various communities.
The Commission also approved a similar consumer
protection focused agreement with five of Illinois’ smaller utility
companies, namely Consumers Gas Company, Illinois Gas Company,
Liberty Utilities Corp., MidAmerican Energy Company, and Mt. Carmel
Public Utility Company. In alignment with the large utility
agreement, the agreement with the small utilities suspends
disconnections and late fees for nonpayment until Illinois enters
Phase 4 of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, or August 1,
2020, whichever comes first. Among a variety of independent
commitments, the small utility agreement further provides
protections for residential customers through temporary waivers of
reconnection fees and new deposit requirements, as well as more
flexible DPA terms.
“We are all spending more time at home due to COVID-19, and must
rely heavily on essential services to heat and cool our homes, and
keep us connected to school, work and family. With so many out of
work as we deal with this unprecedented global pandemic, now is not
the time to cut services. The agreement we approved today is
significant in that it will help many families from falling too far
behind, and places Illinois in a leading role for other states to
follow as they develop plans of their own,” said Commissioner Sadzi
Martha Oliva.
"The order by the Illinois Commerce Commission recognizes an
important agreement reached by several entities that benefits
consumers, many of whom have endured serious financial hardships
during the COVID-19 pandemic," said NARUC President and Mississippi
Commissioner Brandon Presley. "Their process to address specific
challenges, such as consumer protections and a cost recovery
mechanism for utilities to provide reliable and safe service without
interruption, may serve as a model or point of discussion for other
commissions grappling with similar issues.”
In addition to the utility companies named above, the stipulated
agreement participants include the Office of the Illinois Attorney
General, the City of Chicago, Community Organizing and Family
Issues, the Citizens Utility Board, Legal Aid Society of
Metropolitan Family Services, Allen Cherry, and Staff of the
Illinois Commerce Commission.
These agreements compliment other recent efforts by the Commission
to protect consumers. In March, the Commission opened a Notice of
Inquiry as a vehicle to examine and evaluate the issue of utility
affordability for all Illinois customers. In April, the Commission
opened an investigation into an annual process and formula for
calculating rebate values for customers with solar, wind or other
renewable energy systems on their property in Ameren Illinois’
territory; and lastly, the Commission recently imposed a $1 million
dollar fine on an alternative electric retail supplier for failing
to comply with state marketing and sales rules.
To read the full orders, please
click here.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information]
About the Illinois
Commerce Commission
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is a quasi-judicial body
made up of five Commissioners. Through its Public Utility Program,
the Commission oversees the provision of adequate, reliable,
efficient and safe utility services at the least possible cost to
Illinois citizens served by electric, natural gas,
telecommunications, water and sewer public utility companies.
Through its Transportation Regulatory Program, the Commission
oversees public safety and consumer protection programs with regard
to intrastate commercial motor carriers of general freight,
household goods movers, relocation towers, safety towers, personal
property warehouses and repossession agencies. The Commission’s Rail
Safety Program also inspects and regulates the general safety of
railroad tracks, facilities and equipment in the state.
If you are a consumer who needs help resolving a utility dispute
call 800-524-0795 or file an online complaint here. For a complaint
related to transportation, call 217-782-6448. |
