Uncertain about the continuation of the utility shut-off moratorium, local utility companies are reminding customers to stay on top of their bills, and seek help if they need it. “Just because there's been a moratorium on terminations, that doesn't mean people's bills are forgiven,” said regional spokesman Todd Meyers of West Penn Power. “Before it reaches a critical point, we're just trying to remind people that there is help out there.”

The Associated Press reported Friday that a state regulator, through inaction, extended the moratorium preventing utility companies from terminating services due to lack of payment. The four-member panel of two Democrats and two Republicans postponed a vote until Sept. 17, giving customers another three weeks under the moratorium.

The Public Utility Commission imposed a moratorium on shutoffs in March as Gov. Tom Wolf was in the midst of multiple shutdown orders to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

A collective of utility companies, including a portion written by West Penn Power Co. and its sister companies, called for the lifting of the moratorium.

The comments by FirstEnergy, parent company to West Penn Power and its sister companies, said their data shows that the pandemic has affected payment behaviors.

Past-due balances greater than 30 days have increased in residential accounts, from a total of $110.6 million in January to $133.8 million in July, but the number of residential customers past due has decreased by 8% during that same time period.

In non-residential, or commercial, customers, the trend increased in both capacities. Past-due balances for non-residential customers totaled to $6.5 million in July, a 91% increase from January, and the number of past due customers has doubled.

“Past due arrearages and average arrearages per customer have increased,” the comment said. “While requests for payment arrangements (measured in both number and dollar amounts) have declined.”

In contrast, Wolf, Attorney General Josh Shapiro and others submitted letters read as public comment at the commission's meeting Thursday, all wanting to keep the moratorium.

“If the commission insists on lifting its moratorium, then at a minimum I ask it to require utilities to offer customers some options of financial relief, such as late fee waivers, rate reductions, flexible payment arrangements, and/or debt forgiveness,” Shapiro wrote.

Gary Lobaugh, spokesman of Pennsylvania American Water, said there are options.

“We encourage customers experiencing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 or other circumstances, to please reach out to us,” he said.

Lobaugh said customers through his company will likely be directed to the H20 Help to Others Program, which offers financial assistance for water and wastewater companies through grants of up to $500 per year that are used toward household water or wastewater bills.

The program can also offer an 85% discount on monthly service fees for water and 20% discount on wastewater charges, access to efficiency devices, and education about usage.

Meyers said power companies have many assistance programs they can direct customers to, including the Pennsylvania Customer Assistance Program, the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Pennsylvania 211.

Meyers said one program FirstEnergy commonly refers customers to is the Dollar Energy Fund, which helps residential customers restore or maintain their services through $500 grants. The program is funded by FirstEnergy's own customers.

West Penn Power customer service representatives have received training to help communicate during these troubling times, according to Meyers.

“There's lots of things we can do,” he said. “Terminating services is the last thing we ever want to do.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.