Commission Actions Relative to COVID-19

All Commission hearings and public meetings will be held via web-enabled remote access until further notice.  To view scheduled hearings and public meetings and instructions for public access, please go to the Commission calendar.

On June 30, 2020, Governor Sununu issued Emergency Order 58, ending Emergency Order #3 effective July 15, 2020.

 

 

The Public Utilities Commission is available to assist customers of electric, gas and water utilities that are public utilities, customers of competitive electric providers, and customers of telephone providers. 

 

Questions regarding other services – deliverable fuels, municipal utility service, or cable, internet or VOIP services - should be directed to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 603-271-3641 or by email at DOJ-CPB@doj.nh.gov. 

 

For information regarding the State of New Hampshire's actions relative to COVID-19:

Information About Your Utility Service and the Pandemic - FAQ

Q.           I have questions about my utility service and need help.  Who can help me? 

A.            You should always call your utility company first if you have a question about or problem with your utility service.

If you are not satisfied with help you get from your utility company, call the Public Utilities Commission or send us an email.  Our telephone number is (800)852-3793 (NH only) or 603-271-2431, and our email address is puc@puc.nh.gov .

Q.           If I cannot pay my utility bill in full each month, what should I do?

A.            If you are having difficulty paying your utility bill, call your utility company and ask for a payment arrangement.  Right now, you can set up a plan to repay your bill, which includes any balances owed, over a 12 month period.  If you are experiencing a financial hardship, you have as long as 24 months to repay your bill, including any balances owed. 

When you set up a plan to repay your bill, charges for late payments will be waived – as long as you pay the agreed to amount each month by the due date.

Q.           Can my utility service be disconnected during the pandemic?

A.            Without a plan to repay your bill, your utility service could be disconnected.  During the winter months, there is increased protection for customers of electric and natural gas utilities. While customers can still be disconnected if they fail to make payments on their gas or electric bills, it is more difficult to be disconnected in the winter time.

From November 15 to March 31, an electric or gas utility may not disconnect a customer’s service:

• If the customer does not use electric service for heating and the balance owed for service provided is less than $225;
• If the customer does not use gas service for heating and the balance owed for service provided is less than $125;
• If the customer has electric or gas heat, the utility may not disconnect service if the balance owed for service provided is less than $450.

Q.           I need help paying my bill.  Where do I go? 

A.            The best place to start is with your town and your local community action agency. 

New Hampshire’s gas and electric utilities partnered with New Hampshire Legal Assistance on a webinar for utility customers about help paying utility bills.  Visit NHLA at https://www.nhla.org/blog/Theres-help-if-you-cant-pay-your-utility-bill-entry-120 to watch the webinar and learn more.