Emergency Disaster Relief Program – SCE Advice Letter 4174-E

Description

On March 16, Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order directing the Commission to monitor consumer protections offered by electrical corporations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the Executive Order, SCE and the other investor-owned utilities submitted emergency consumer protection plans on March 19. SCE submitted their plan in the form of Advice Letter 4174-E (AL). In the AL, SCE proposes to implement various tariff changes to implement customer protection measures for customers experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measures proposed by SCE include suspending disconnections for affected customers, waiving deposit requirements and late fees, providing flexible payment plan options and freezing CARE eligibility reviews. Disconnection is suspended until March 4, 2021.

The economic conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the payment plan accommodations contemplated by the plans, could result in delayed or partial payments by customers or uncollectible balances. Clean Power Alliance (CPA), representing Southern California CCAs, has been coordinating closely with SCE on equitable payment distribution to minimize the potential negative impacts to CCAs. CalChoice, in collaboration with CPA, submitted comments in response to SCE’s AL generally supporting the measures that SCE has proposed to protect customers impacted by COVID-19.

Next Steps

Continuing collaboration with SCE to ensure IOU customers and CCA customers are treated equitably and fairly, and to ensure the financial stability of all LSEs in SCE’s territory.