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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 10 No. 1 |
March 2006 |
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MAIN
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A Joint Project of the Maine
Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods |
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Volume 10 No. 1 |
March 2006 |
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What are My Rights with My Electric Company?
It's hard to keep up with electrical bills, especially in the winter. We hope this information will help answer questions you may have about your rights - if you need help with your electric bill, if you get behind in your payments, or if the electric company says it is going to disconnect your service.
Can I get help paying my electric bills?
When you apply for HEAP (fuel assistance) at your local Community Action Agency, they will tell you if you are also eligible for a break on your electric bill. People who get a housing subsidy are not eligible for this program. For more information, contact your local Community Action Agency.
You may also be eligible for help through your town or city's General Assistance Program. General Assistance is often only available to people whose income is under a certain limit. However, the income limits can be waived in an emergency - for example if it is necessary to avoid electricity disconnection. To apply, contact your Town Office or City Hall.
During the winter months, my electric bills go way up and I can't afford to pay them. What can I do?
Contact your electric company. They should work with you to set up a special payment plan to spread out high winter bills (covering mid-November to mid-April) over a longer period of time. This means you will pay less during the winter months, when your bills are highest, then pay off the money still owed over the following summer. The entire back bill usually must be paid off by the following November 1st.
What if there's a month when I can't afford to pay my whole bill?
If you can't pay all of your bill, call the electric company and ask for a payment plan. In deciding the plan, they will look at your ability to pay and your past payment history and may suggest you pay more in the summer so that you can pay less in the winter when monthly bills are often high. If you don't pay according to the plan you agree to, the utility can send you a 3-day disconnect notice (except in the winter). If you get a 3-day disconnection notice, it means you'll have to pay the whole bill right away, unless you are able to get the company to agree to change the payment plan.
What can I do if the electric company sends me a disconnect notice?
In most cases, the company will send a 14-day disconnect notice (in some cases, it's as little as 3 days). In general, you will need to pay any back money owed by the disconnect date to keep the company from shutting off your power. Your power can generally not be shut off after 3:00 p.m., or on a Friday, during the weekend, on a legal holiday or the day before a legal holiday, or any day the office is closed.
If I have an illness or disability, can I stop the disconnection?
If you or a member of your family is seriously ill, the company won't disconnect your power for at least 30 days. The 30 days can be renewed. Have the doctor call the company (or call yourself if you can't get the doctor right away). You may need to get a letter from the doctor. Even though you will be given this 'grace period', you will still need to eventually pay the bill.
What if my landlord gets my power shut-off?
If you are a tenant, and the electric bill is in the landlord's name, your power can't be disconnected without your being offered the chance to put the service in your name. Let the electric company know you are the tenant. You must also get at least 10-days notice before any disconnection. You don't have to pay the landlord's back bill.
What if I can’t pay the full bill at one time?
Payment arrangements. The company must offer you a reasonable payment plan rather than disconnect you. If the reason for the disconnection notice is failure to pay under a previous payment arrangement, the company does not have to (but it may) offer you a payment plan. If you have worked out a long-term payment plan, and you are making the payments as you agreed, they can't disconnect you.
Can I be disconnected in the winter?
From November 15th until April 15th you may not be disconnected in the winter if you agree to a "special payment arrangement." A special payment arrangement allows you to pay less in the winter months, then, from April until October, to pay what you owe in monthly payments -- plus your current bill. If you fail to pay on a special payment arrangement during the winter months, the company should work out a second payment arrangement with you. If you do not pay on the second payment arrangement, the company can go to the Public Utilities Commission for approval to disconnect your electricity. This rule only applies to people who cannot afford their bills because of low income (for example, income below $24,144 for a family of 3; $29,040 for a family of 4 and people receiving SSI or HEAP.)
What if I can't work things out with my electric company?
If you've called the number on the bill or disconnect notice, talked with the manager and you still can't work things out, there are other things you can do. You can:
Call:
Consumer Assistance Division of the Maine PUC
1-800-452-4699 or 287-3831
(TTY: 1-800-437-1220)These phone lines are often busy, so keep trying and, when you get through, be sure to leave a message with the reason you called, your name, phone number and the date you called.
File a complaint on-line:
if you have access to the internet.
Read each page (they're short) and continue to click on "Next" until you get to the Complaint Form.Send a letter to:
Consumer Assistance Division
Maine Public Utility Commission
242 State Street
18 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0018If you contact the PUC before the disconnect date, your power will stay on while the PUC investigates. You will need to keep paying on - or arrange to pay - any parts of the bill you agree you owe, or your service could be disconnected.
For legal advice and assistance, contact Pine Tree Legal Assistance.
