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Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Nonprofit and lawmaker coalition pressures state of Florida to act on utility disconnects

Credit: WPTV News | West Palm Beach
Duration: 01:57s 0 shares 1 views

Nonprofit and lawmaker coalition pressures state of Florida to act on utility disconnects
Nonprofit and lawmaker coalition pressures state of Florida to act on utility disconnects

More of Florida’s utility companies will soon start disconnecting customers again.

It comes despite the ongoing COVID-19 economic downturn.

COVID ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.

WITHHUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AT RISKOF LOSING POWER, A COALITIONOF NONPROFITS AND LAWMAKERS ISHOPING TO GET THE STATE TO PUTTHINGS ON HOLD.

CAPITOLREPORTER FORREST SAUNDERS HASTHE VERY LATEST FROMTALLAHASSE<<STILL STRUGGLING TO MAKEENDS MEET IN FLORIDA'S WEAKENEDECONOMY LEE VAN PELT WORRIESHER POWER COULD GET PULLED IFSHE DOESN'T KEEP UP WITHUTILITY BILLS.

"IT KEEPS ME UPAT NIGHT, I'M WAITING FOR THEOTHER SHOE TO DROP." SHE'S NOTALONE.

A COUPLE WEEKS AGOUTILITY COMPANIES TOLD THEPUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIOABOUT 600,000 FLORIDIANS AREBEHIND, AT RISK OF ADISCONNECT.

(LEE VANPELT,TALLAHASSEE) "I NEEDELECTRICITY TO GET UP IN THEMORNING TAKE A SHOWER AND GO TOWORK SO I DON'T LOSEEVERYTHING." SHUTOFFS HAVERESUMED FOR A NUMBER OF MAJORPROVIDERS.

OTHERS LIKE DUKE,STARTING IN JUST DAYS.

BUT, 13NONPROFITS AND SEVERALLAWMAKERS ARE AGAIN TRYING TOGET THE STATE TO GET INVOLVED.(SEN.

JOSE JAVIER RODRIGUEZ,MIAMI) "RELYING ON GOODWILLFROM REGULATED PUBLICUTILITIES IS JUST NOT THE WAYTO GO." (JOSE) SEN.

JOSEJAVIER RODRIGUEZ IS WORKINGWITH THE GROUP.

TOGETHER THEYWANT A DISCONNECT MORATORIUMTHROUGH JANUARY 2021.

ARECONNECT OF ANYONE CUTOFFSINCE MARCH.

AND FOR UTILITIESTO WAIVE FINES AND EXTEND DEBTFORGIVENESS.

"THE CRISIS ISVERY MUCH STILL WITH US.UTILITY SHUTOFFS ARE NOTSOMETHING THEY NEED TO BTHINKING ABOUT." (JOSE) THEGROUP HAS PUSHED FOR THE STATO ACT IN THE PAST, BUTDESANTIS AND THE SERVICECOMMISSION HAVE PREFERRED TOALLOW UTILITIES TO ACT ONTHEIR OWN.

DESANTIS'S TEAMDECLINING TO COMMENT ON THERENEWED EFFORT.

"THIS IS NOFAULT OF OUR OWN." (LEE) LEEREMAINS HOPEFUL THE STATE WILLACT, PERHAPS HELPING HER SLEEPA LITTLE MORE PEACEFULLY ATNIGHT KNOWING SHE'LL BE ABLETO TURN THE LIGHTS ON IN THEMORNING.

FORREST THE PUBLICSERVICE COMMISSION HAS BEENHOLDING WORKSHOPS TO DISCUSSCOVID-19 AND WHAT TO DO ABOUTLATE PAYMENTS.

ITS NEXT IS SFOR SEPTEMBER 1.

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