Winter Protection / Winter Moratorium

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Update-September 2023: New “Connecticut Electric Discount Program” for Eversource customers will provide a monthly discount for eligible individuals with a financial hardship status on their electric account. There are two tiers of discounts depending on the individual annual household income or receipt of a public assistance benefit.  For more details on the program, visit the Eversource webpage here: Discount Rate | Eversource

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Program Administration: Connecticut Department of Public Utilities regulates programs; Individual utility companies process applications.

Program Description: Eligible households (“hardship cases”) can be protected against heat source shut-offs between 11/1 and 5/1.  (Eversource and possibly other companies will also protect hardship cases from NON-heat utility shutoffs).  Gas and electric utilities CANNOT EVER BE SHUT OFF (summer or winter) if lack of the utility creates a life-threatening situation.

Note for Gas Customers:
Gas companies cannot terminate service to “hardship cases” during the period 11/1-5/1. However, they can refuse to reinstate service for “hardship” customers if there has been a shut off between 5/2-10/31, if their household had had service maintained during the previous moratorium period because of “hardship” status, AND if since 5/1 the customer has not paid the minimum payment due under the payment arrangement, or 20% of the amount owed the gas company as of the date of the shutoff. (This does not apply to customers who are in a life-threatening situation if utility is not restored.)

Who Is Eligible? (any ONE of the following situations)

How to Apply: Households must apply EVERY year for winter protection from shut offs. If applying for energy assistance customer can complete the necessary paperwork at that time.  Send supporting documentation and request to be coded for “winter protection” to the utility company or call the utility company credit office to ask for information

For more detailed information on this program, visit the Connecticut General Statute links below:

“From November first to May first, inclusive no electric distribution company, no electric supplier and no municipal utility furnishing electricity shall terminate, deny or refuse to reinstate residential electric service in hardship cases where the customer lacks the financial resources to pay his or her entire account.”

“From November first to May first, inclusive, no gas company and no municipal utility furnishing gas shall terminate, deny or refuse to reinstate residential gas service in hardship cases where the customer uses gas for heat and lacks the financial resources to pay his or her entire account.”

To Find Providers in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database:

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SOURCES: Connecticut General Statutes; Eversource: Programs That Help People in Connecticut; Connecticut Legal Services
PREPARED BY: 211/ch
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: December2023