California residents who are not able to pay their water, sewer, energy or communications bills during the state's novel coronavirus state of emergency will not be at risk of having their services shut off, the California Public Utilities Commission said Tuesday.
CPUC officials confirmed that, retroactive to March 4, utility companies under the commission's jurisdiction will not be allowed to suspend or disconnect service for ratepayers who cannot pay their bills during the virus outbreak.
Companies in the commission's jurisdiction include PG&E, AT&T, Comcast and the San Jose Water Company.
"In these unsettling and unprecedented times, many people are concerned about the health and safety of themselves and their loved ones," CPUC President Marybel Batjer said. "They should not also have to worry about their essential utility services being shut off for non-payment because they are unable to report to work due to illness, quarantine, or social distancing."
Several companies the CPUC oversees have announced their own moratoriums on service disruptions during the outbreak. Per an executive order Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Monday, the commission will also oversee how public and private utility providers offer and administer customer service protections.
A full list of the utility companies and providers affected by the moratorium can be found here.
