Proposed Decision Orders Automatic Enrollment in Long-term Payment Plans

• The Proposed Decision orders energy utilities to automatically provide all residential customers two years to pay off energy bill debt, with an opt out provision.
• Small and Multi-Jurisdictional (SMJUs) energy utilities can choose between the two-year timeframe or the Southwest Gas automatic payment plan model, which provides customers a minimum of 8 months to pay off their debt.
• Small businesses arrearages will be tailored to the customer's debt and ability to recover. All energy utilties are to automatically enroll small business customers in plans with payoff terms long enough so that the debt payments are not more than 10 percent over their average bill or no more than 5 percent over their average bill for small business customers located in DACs.
• Energy utilities are to begin documenting their partnerships with CBOs as a means of helping the hardest to reach customers navigate important state and federally funded arrerage relief programs.
• Commission determination on remaining issues are deferred to a second phase in this proceeding due to the potential external sources of funding for utility debt.

• Commission determinations on remaining issues are deferred to a second phase in this proceeding due to the potential external sources of funding for utility debt.

See link for Proposed Decision Summary below to access a full summary.