April 8,2009 -
National Grid will extend its winter shut-off moratorium by two weeks for Rhode Island electricity and natural gas customers who have protected status. During the moratorium, which started on November 1, 2008, utility companies can not normally shut off service to protected customers. For these customers the company is extending the moratorium from the scheduled end date of April 15, 2009 to May 1, 2009.
National Grid extended the moratorium after receiving a request to do so from Rhode Island House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox, (D) Providence.
Under regulations established by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, utility customers may have protected status if they meet any of several criteria including being elderly, handicapped, unemployed, seriously ill, receiving heating assistance funding (LIHEAP) or if there is a child in the home under 24 months of age and there is a financial hardship in the household. Approximately 34,500 National Grid customers in Rhode Island currently have protected status. The moratorium will end on April 15 for all customers not in protected status.
“The Company’s decision to extend the shut-off moratorium until May 1 gives customers with protected status additional time to pay utility bills and make suitable payment arrangements with our customer service representatives,” said Michael F. Ryan, vice president Government Relations, Rhode Island. “However, during the moratorium we ask that customers make an effort to pay at least a portion of the gas or electric bill.”
If a customer has fallen behind in payments, Payment Plan options may be available. Customers should call National Grid at 1-888-211-1313 to find out if they qualify for plans that allow payment of an outstanding balance over a period of months.
Customers interested in learning more about Budget Plan or other payment options should log onto the National Grid web site at www.nationalgridus.com click Rhode Island - Electric or Rhode Island - Gas, and then click on Payment Options. They may also call National Grid at 1-888-211-1313. Customers with questions not related to credit or collections issues should call our Customer Contact Center at 1-800-322-3223.
National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. National Grid also owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation that provides power to over one million LIPA customers.