Texas regulators mull ending disconnect moratorium, implementing legislation

摘要

Texas utility regulators discussed June 3 the possibility of ending the moratorium on electricity disconnections for nonpayment that had been implemented after the mid-February winter storm, and they discussed timelines for implementing reforms passed during the legislative session that ended May 31. In a June 1 memo, Public Utility Commission of Texas member Will McAdams advocated ending the moratorium during the June 11 open meeting, as extending it further could lead “to an unsustainable impact on a significant number of financially at-risk Texas consumers.” Under current rules, consumers continue to accrue financial liabilities associated with unpaid utility bills, McAdams noted, but utilities only spread those bills out over five ensuing months, which could become prohibitive, if the liabilities continue to accumulate during a moratorium.