Eversource & UI Customers: Future Electric Utility Credits for Storm-Related Outages

June 30, 2021

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) issued a final decision implementing standards and procedures for Eversource and United Illuminating residential customers to receive credits for spoiled food or medicine as a result of a power outage. One important item to note is that food and/or medicine losses from Tropical Storm Isaias do not apply.

This action is a result of the “Take Back Our Grid Act,” which I supported in October of 2020.

How does this affect you?

The following information is from PURA:

PURA’s decision, effective  July 1, 2021, will provide customers with:

  • $25 bill credit for each 24-hour period of time subsequent to 96 consecutive hours of an electricity outage after a major storm or emergency. For example, a residential customer may be eligible for a $25 bill credit after experiencing an outage of 120 hours (5 days), with an incremental $25 bill credit for each additional 24-hour period. Customers experiencing outages for periods of less than a 24-hour period beyond the 96-consecutive-hour timeframe will not receive partial credits under the Act.

 

  • $250 in compensation for residential customers for medication and food that expired or spoiled due to an electricity outage lasting longer than 96 consecutive hours. Customers are required to seek spoilage compensation through filed claims. Also, unlike outage credits that will be applied to the balance of a customer’s account, spoilage compensation will be issued via a check to the eligible residential customer, unless a customer requests a bill credit through the claims process.

In the event customers are eligible for either credit, PURA’s decision requires the electric utilities to provide these credits within two months of the major storm or emergency.

Importantly, however, as directed by Public Act 20-5, the Authority’s decision also establishes a detailed “waiver” process by which the electric utilities can seek relief from providing customer credits after a storm, for reasons such as line worker safety and conditions on the ground.

Additional Questions

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