NC governor orders halt to utility shutoffs during pandemic

Today, Gov. Roy Cooper announced an order directing all electric, gas, water and wastewater utilities operating in the state to suspend service shutoffs, late payment fees and reconnection fees to assist families impacted by the Covid pandemic.

Last week, nearly 30 public interest organizations sent a letter to the governor calling on him to take immediate action to protect North Carolinians by taking these kinds of measures to halt shutoffs of critical utility services during the crisis.

Statement from Al Ripley, NC Justice Center:

“We commend the governor for his action, this is significant step in helping North Carolinians through this crisis and protecting the public health. We’ll continue to monitor utilities treatment of consumers going forward.”

Statement from Rory McIlmoil, Appalachian Voices:

“We expect all utilities to serve their customers in good faith and take this responsibility seriously. But we urge utility customers — especially those served by electric cooperatives and municipal utilities — to let us know if they’re still facing the threat of being disconnected or charged fees for late payment.”

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