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PUC deadlocks, so utility shutoff moratorium continues

  • Aaron Moselle/WHYY
A Duquesne Light bucket truck leaves the utility's Preble Service Center.

 Amy Sisk / StateImpact Pennsylvania

A Duquesne Light bucket truck leaves the utility's Preble Service Center.

(Philadelphia) — The COVID-19-inspired moratorium on utility service shutoffs in Pennsylvania will remain in place after the Public Utility Commission deadlocked Thursday on a plan to end it.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the 2-2 vote split along party lines. The two Republican commissioners want utilities to start sending out termination notices in August to customers who have fallen behind in payments. Meanwhile, the Democrats on the commission want to form a study group that would make recommendations for lifting the moratorium.

The commission approved the shutoff moratorium on March 13, shortly after the coronavirus pandemic reached Pennsylvania.

The Public Utility Commission normally has five members, but Gov. Tom Wolf has yet to nominate a replacement to fill the vacancy, which opened in April.


WHYY is the leading public media station serving the Philadelphia region, including Delaware, South Jersey and Pennsylvania. This story originally appeared onĀ WHYY.org.

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