(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved additional consumer protections today that are championed by PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank as part of a plan which is designed to connect more income-eligible Duquesne Light customers with utility bill assistance.

The PUC’s action clears the way for Duquesne Light to automatically enroll certain participants in the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) into its Customer Assistance Program (CAP), while requiring new safeguards to protect customers from costs that are unexpected and ensuring access to payment arrangements that are reasonable.

These changes are aimed at addressing a persistent challenge that many Pennsylvania households face: thousands of consumers who qualify for utility assistance programs never enroll, despite experiencing ongoing affordability challenges and carrying past-due balances on their accounts.

According to a release from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, here is more information about this action:

• Under Duquesne Light’s proposal, certain customers who participate in LIHEAP data sharing and have qualifying past-due balances would be automatically enrolled in the utility’s CAP unless they choose to opt out.
• CAPs are designed to help income-qualified households maintain essential utility service through reduced bills and debt forgiveness opportunities. LIHEAP provides federally funded assistance to help eligible households pay home heating costs during the winter months.
• As part of today’s action, the Commission adopted provisions requiring Duquesne Light to strengthen customer protections before implementing the automatic enrollment program.
• Among the new requirements are as follows:
• Customers who are automatically enrolled in CAP and returned to utility default service cannot be left responsible for early termination or cancellation fees charged by a competitive electric generation supplier (EGS).
• Duquesne Light must reimburse any such charges that may occur and cannot pass those costs on to other ratepayers.
• The utility must formally commit to offering payment arrangements on CAP arrearages for automatically enrolled customers who leave the CAP program, with terms that are no less favorable than those previously required under Pennsylvania law for non-CAP customers.
• Customers must receive clear notice explaining the availability of payment arrangements and the utility’s obligation to reimburse any supplier-related fees.
• Duquesne Light must update its Universal Service and Energy Conservation Plan and supplier tariff to clearly reflect these protections and responsibilities.