Vermont PUC: Reinstates Utility Disconnection Moratorium Amid COVID-19

• On December 22, 2020, the Vermont Public Utility Commission reinstated a temporary moratorium on utility service disconnections.
• This ban prevents regulated utilities from shutting off electricity, natural gas, and landline phone services for nonpayment.
• The moratorium is effective during the COVID State of Emergency and will last until March 31, 2021.
• Unoccupied properties are explicitly excluded from this protection.
• Vermont-based utilities must immediately update their disconnection policies to comply with this new directive.

Vermont-based utilities and their legal counsel are now faced with an immediate imperative to review and update their disconnection policies to ensure full compliance with this reinstated moratorium.

On December 22, 2020, the Vermont Public Utility Commission announced the reinstatement of a temporary moratorium on utility service disconnections. This directive, issued amidst the ongoing COVID State of Emergency, immediately impacts all regulated utilities operating within Vermont, requiring them to cease certain shutoffs.

The commission's order specifically targets involuntary utility disconnections that stem from customers' inability to pay their bills. This measure aims to protect residents during the public health crisis by ensuring continued access to essential services, preventing service interruptions for nonpayment of critical household utilities.

The Vermont PUC order December 2020 explicitly directs regulated utilities to halt the disconnection of service for nonpayment across several key categories. This includes electricity, natural gas, and landline phone bills, ensuring a broad spectrum of essential household services remains active for consumers.

This comprehensive utility service moratorium Vermont nonpayment directive applies to all regulated providers, underscoring the commission's authority to enforce such measures statewide. The only explicit exception to this rule is for unoccupied properties, meaning the protections are specifically designed for active residential or commercial accounts where services are in use.

The reinstated COVID-19 utility shutoff ban Vermont is not indefinite; it is a temporary measure set to remain in effect through March 31, 2021. This specific end date provides a clear timeline for both utilities and consumers regarding the duration of the protections.

The Vermont Public Utility Commission moratorium represents a significant regulatory intervention, leveraging its powers to safeguard public welfare during a declared state of emergency. The commission's action reflects a broader trend of regulatory bodies implementing consumer protections in response to the economic and health challenges posed by the pandemic.

Vermont-based utilities and their legal counsel are now faced with an immediate imperative to review and update their disconnection policies to ensure full compliance with this reinstated moratorium. The directive to stop any Vermont electricity gas phone disconnection due to nonpayment, except for unoccupied properties, requires prompt operational adjustments.

Failure to adhere to the Vermont PUC reinstates utility disconnection moratorium could expose utilities to regulatory penalties. Therefore, it is critical for all affected providers to integrate the terms of this December 2020 order into their current practices without delay, ensuring that no involuntary disconnections for nonpayment occur for covered services until the moratorium's expiration on March 31, 2021.

Vermont-based utilities and their legal counsel must immediately review and update their disconnection policies to comply with the reinstated moratorium on service shutoffs for nonpayment, effective until March 31, 2021, to avoid regulatory penalties.

Source: Reporting based on Public Utility Commission announcement.