Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Thursday extending New Jersey’s moratorium on utility shutoffs through March 15, 2021.
New Jersey’s major utility companies voluntarily agreed to the shutoff moratorium, which was enacted in March when the coronavirus pandemic began. They agreed in August to extend it to Oct. 15.
Under Murphy’s order, no household in New Jersey can have its electricity, gas or water service shut off due to non-payment through March 15, 2021, which will be more than a year after the coronavirus began wreaking havoc across the Garden State.
In homes where children are attending school remotely, internet shutoffs will also be banned until March 15, 2021. The moratorium on internet and phone service disconnection is being extended for other residents until Nov. 15.
Commercial customers will not be covered under the executive order, a spokesman for Murphy’s office said.
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The moratorium runs in tandem with the state’s Winter Termination Program, which lasts from Nov. 15 to March 15 every year. It protects some homes from having some utilities shut off, but doesn’t typically include water. However, the executive order gives blanket protection to all residents.
“Our message to residents is clear — as this pandemic and its economic fallout continues, we will continue to have your back," Murphy said during his latest coronavirus briefing in Trenton. “And as the winter months get closer and closer, no one should fear losing the ability to heat their home."
For the last seven months, the moratorium has been a source of protection for the more than 440,000 residents and 43,000 commercial customers who are over 90 days past due on their electric and gas bills, according to August data from the state Board of Public Utilities.
And with more than 1.6 million workers who have applied for unemployment benefits and 26,000 residents facing eviction, the number of residents relying on the moratorium is likely much higher, advocates said last week as they called on Murphy to extend the moratorium.
State Board of Public Utilities Director Joe Fiordaliso called the utility companies “good corporate citizens” for working with New Jerseyans, but noted there was some pushback from at least one utility company that is owned by companies in other states.
Fiordaliso also reminded residents to begin saving up for bills that are past due, because “some day, these moratoriums are going to end.”
“Our phones at BPU are open, we’re available to assist you," he said. “But I know (utility companies) are anxiously awaiting to hear from you so we can proceed in an orderly fashion to start reducing the debt you have to them.”
All utility companies are also offering a Deferred Payment Agreement of at least 12 months and up to 24 months without requiring a down payment, Murphy said in August, noting some customers might have seen shutoff notices in September.
PSE&G, New Jersey’s largest electric and gas provider to over 2 million customers, offers an Equal Payment Plan, which allows customers who can’t pay their bills to set up an interest-free payment plan for 24 months.
Atlantic City Electric, which serves 560,000 customers in South Jersey, has been working with individual customers who have fallen in debt to create a payment plan, said spokesman Frank Tedesco. He noted only 15% of customers who are behind have reached out, and others who need financial assistance should contact ACE as soon as possible via its website or at 1-866-642-3780.
JCP&L, which serves more than 1 million residents, is encouraging residents who lost income to reach out to customer service 1-800-962-0383, or apply for assistance programs that may have been unavailable to them before, such as the Universal Service Fund Program, a state-funded program based on household income and energy burden.
Rockland Electric Company, providing service to 72,000 customers in Bergen, Passaic and Sussex counties, is waiving late-payment fees and encouraged customers to reach out at 1-877-434-4100.
NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.
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Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz.
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