DEPARTMENT: Finance
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Troy Elliott, Deputy Chief Financial Officer
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Approval of an ordinance authorizing and ratifying the waiver of late payment fees in current CPS Energy tariffs for customers participating in deferred payment plans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SUMMARY:
A request by President and CEO of CPS Energy, as unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees, to authorize and ratify the waiver of late payment fees in current tariffs for customers who make timely payments as part of a payment plan established during the period when electric and gas service disconnections are suspended due to the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation's largest public power, natural gas and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced service to 840,750 electric and 352,585 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties.
CPS Energy is owned by the City of San Antonio and is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees with the Mayor serving as an ex-officio member. The City Council exercises its oversight of CPS Energy through the approval of rates and charges, authorization of debt issuances, approval of all condemnations, and the confirmation of the appointment of all Trustees except the Mayor.
In consideration of the challenges facing our community caused by COVID-19 and the economic pressures that are related to the on-going and evolving shelter-at-home and social distancing directives, CPS Energy quickly announced publicly that it would temporarily suspend its process of disconnecting the electric and gas services of customers who cannot pay all or part of their utility bills. CPS Energy has historically suspended disconnects for short and definitive periods of time during the peak of the summer and the December holidays to help its customers. CPS Energy has an establis...
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