The delay in the payment of electricity, water and / or gas will not be a reason to disconnect the service during the emergency by COVID-19
In the wake of the unexpected coronavirus pandemic that has plagued the pockets of millions of families, utility companies in Southern California chose Wednesday to give their customers a break.
Representatives of the electricity, water and gas companies announced that there will be no cuts in services even though some users stop paying their bills on time due to this crisis. They also said they will keep staff available to handle emergencies.
Miguel López Nájera, spokesman for the company SoCalGas, said that the disconnections from the service have been suspended until further notice and that no customer will be left without natural gas due to non-payment.
"We have also temporarily waived late fees for our small business customers," he added, explaining that SoCalGas does not charge extra for late payment to residential users.
The spokesperson for the gas company serving 22,000 Southern California customers said that if any user has natural gas service disconnected, it will be turned back on as soon as possible without any required payment.
For its part, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Electricity (LADWP) indicated that customers experiencing financial difficulties and needing help making the subscription can sign up for payment plan programs on their website.
The entity also urged users to make their payments online and stressed that those who cannot make the contribution of the month, likewise their service will be in force during the emergency declaration; DWP will also not charge late fees at this time.
Southern California Edison (SCE) said it will defer planned noncritical outages while continuing emergency work for public safety and forest fire mitigation.
"We know this is a difficult time for our communities and we want SCE users and employees to know that we are here for them," said Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, SCE's parent company.
"As SCE continues to act to maintain electrical service to its 15 million users, we also want to play our role in supporting communities at this difficult time."
SCE is also assisting users with paying their bills by suspending disconnections for non-payment of service and is waiving late payment penalties for businesses and residential users affected by the COVID-19 emergency.
Staff to attend important calls
Under Governor Gavin Newsom's recent Executive Order, members of the critical infrastructure sector – including gas, light and water providers – are deemed necessary for California's security.
Nájera said that at the moment the gas company will not be responding to non-essential service calls such as pool heaters, barbecues and bonfires that have stopped working.
"But we want to assure (the community) that we will continue to make essential and emergency service appointments, including reports of suspected gas leaks, carbon monoxide controls, gas meter starts, gas supply disruption, among others." Nájera said.
The SCE indicated that the team that serves the Internet and the customer service representatives continue to work normal hours to assist users in the event of a power outage.
If you had an unplanned service interruption report it to 1 (800) 611-1911 or visit SCE.com/outage
The DWP noted that several enrollment programs, facilities, inspections and workshops have been suspended. Once services return to normal, clients will receive a call to update them.
As we are spending more time at home, SoCalGas advises customers to regulate the use of home heating which represents the highest use of natural gas in most homes.
Nájera, a spokesperson for the company, said they are offering advice to users on how to regulate the use of natural gas and keep energy costs low. To learn how to visit: https://sempra.mediaroom.com/2020-03-17-COVID-19-Readiness-SoCalGas-Shares-Ways-to-Stay-Safe-and-Save-Money-on-Energy-Bills -While-Spending-More-Time-at-Home
Beware of scams
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that scammers are taking advantage of the coronavirus outbreak to send fraudulent emails, texts and messages on social media.
The entity asked that you never 'click' on suspicious links or attachments and that you also not provide your personal information lightly.
"We want our clients to know that SoCalGas has suspended service disconnections for clients who have difficulties paying their bills and are NOT calling to demand payment," Nájera said.
"Be on the lookout for scams that ask for your personal information or sell fake products (or services)."
You can contact LADWP at 1 (877) 697-2939 or find information in Spanish on their web portal at:
bit.ly/2QKzagE
SCE customers can visit sce.com/billhelp or call 1 (800) 950-2356.
To contact SoCalGas go to socalgas.com/es/pay-bill.
