Energy Utility Arrearages

Rulemaking 21-02-014 to Address Energy Utility Customer Bill Debt Accumulated During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This proceeding examined the need for arrearage relief tied to the COVID-19 period, with consideration of appropriate parameters, cost estimates, and potential funding sources.

Community-Based Organizations Case Management Pilot Program

In April 2022, the CPUC issued a Decision (D.22-04-037) which provides a framework to establish and operate a Community-Based Organization (CBO) Case Management Pilot Program (Pilot). This Pilot is designed to operate in targeted California communities where, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, electric bills were highest relative to the available resources of the community. It is designed to have CBOs assist customers eligible for various arrearage protections in the qualification and application process for such programs.

To support the efforts of this Pilot, a statewide map was created to track residential arrearages and disconnections, by zip codes, as well as identifies nearby CBOs who may able to help customers lower or eliminate their arrearages.

The database and shapefiles feeding into the statewide map will be updated quarterly:

Data from Related Proceedings or Related Filings

      

    Relief for Utility Arrearages: Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) in California

    For information on California’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, including how to apply for financial assistance for rent and/or utility bills, please visit housing.ca.gov.

    Utility Progress in Enrolling Customers in Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)

    Large IOUs

    Sample Group Metrics

    PG&E

    SCE

    SoCalGas

    SDG&E

    Number of Customers in Sample Group[1]

    250

    2,748

    182

    101

    Number of sample customers agreed to apply

    462 (+0)

    690(+0)

    182 (+0)

    54 (+0)

    Number of sample customers that have applied

    228 (+0)

    518(+155)

    96(+0)

    47 (+0)

    Number of sample customers validated

    60 (+2)

    518 (+155)

    19 (+0)

    36(+2)

    Number of sample customers that received relief

    52 (+0)

    40 (+3)

    6 (+1)

    36 (+2)

    Total amount of relief received by sample customers

    		 $164,738
    (+$0)           

    $34,857
    (+$2,491)

    $5,572
    (+$1,984)

    $36,604
    (+$1,540)

    Average relief received by sample customers

    $3,168

    $871

    $928

    $1,017

    Percent of Validated Sample Customer Arrears Forgiven

    89%

    62%

    85%

    N/A2
    Data is current as of April 1, 2022. Decimals have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

    [1] Projected Number of Customers Needed to Meet Minimum Participants as Directed in ALJ Ruling of April 5, 2021.

    [2] SDG&E calculations for the Percent of Validated Customer Arrears Forgiven were based on COVID arrears period April 2020 – March 2021. As the ERAP program has lasted well beyond the original COVID arrears period, the percent calculations are no longer applicable.

    Previous Large IOU Sample Group Metrics (2022)

    Previous Large IOU Sample Group Metrics (2021)

     

    SMJUs

    Sample Group Metrics

    Pacificorp[1]

    Bear Valley Electric[2]

    Liberty/Calpeco[3]

    Southwest Gas

    Number of Customers in Sample Group[4]

    31

    34

    30

    110

    Number of sample customers agreed to apply

    10 (+0)

    15 (+0)

    0 (+0)

    191 (+0)

    Number of sample customers that have applied

    10 ( +0)

    7 (+0)

    0 (+0)

    48 (+0)

    Number of sample customers validated

    2 (+0)

    5 (+0)

    0

    0

    Number of sample customers that received relief

    2 (+1)

    5 (+0)

    0

    16 (+0)

    Total amount of relief received by sample customers

    0

    0

    0

    $9,590 (+$0)

    Average relief received by sample customers

    0

    0

    0

    $599

    Percent of Validated Sample Customer Arrears Forgiven

    0

    0

    0

    N/A5

    Data is current as of April 1, 2022. Decimals have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

    [1] Pacificorp’s California service territory does not include any jurisdictions that received direct allocations, meaning all of their customers would apply through the statewide HCD portal.

    [2] Bear Valley Electric Service’s territory is entirely located within San Bernardino County, an “Option C” jurisdiction, meaning none of their customers would apply through the statewide HCD portal.

    [3] Liberty/Calpeco’s service territory includes portions of Placer County, an “Option C” jurisdiction. The rest of Liberty/Calpeco’s service territory consists of eastern portions of rural counties that did not receive direct allocations, meaning customers in these areas would apply through the statewide HCD portal: Sierra, Nevada, El Dorado, Mono, and Alpine Counties.

    [4] Projected Number of Customers Needed to Meet Minimum Participants as directed in ALJ Ruling of April 5, 2021.

    [5] Southwest Gas will be included in HCD's 'short process' for utilities with an expected number of applicants of 500 or less.  Through this process, HCD will not as for validation of customer arrears and will instead rely upon the bills the applicant provides.

    Previous SMJU IOU Sample Group Metrics 2022

    Previous SMJU IOU Sample Group Metrics 2021

    November 9, 2021 Workshop  on Engaging Community Based Organizations to Support Customers with Arrearages

    This workshop convened stakeholders to discuss ideas for how investor-owned utilities (IOUs) can work with community-based organizations to connect customers to relief programs and identify ways IOUs can support hard-to-reach communities to manage and pay their bills. The recording is available to view here and include this password: EUdw110921.  The court reporter transcript  is available here.

    August 16, 2021 Joint Status Conference was held at 9 a.m on August 16, 2021 in related rulemakings R.21-02-014 and R.17-06-024.  Both rulemakings examined the need for arrearage relief as consequence of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  R.17-06-024 addresses the need for relief in the water sector and R.21-02-014 addresses the need for relief in the energy sector.

    The joint status conference addressed the scope and schedule for the next phase of each proceeding, including (1) ways to efficiently leverage federal and state funding available to relieve energy and and water utility customer debt associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) strengthening inter-industry coordination to support utility bill relief and affordability.  The transcript is available here.

    May 27, 2021 ERAP Evidentiary Hearings.  The transcript is available here.

     

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