Power to keep flowing this winter to people with unpaid bills

As of today, Ontario power companies are forbidden from disconnecting people who don't pay their bills.

This new annual moratorium brought in by the Ontario Energy Board remains in place until April 30.

"The bad thing is if people think this is just a free pass to not pay their hydro bill all winter long," says Wendy Watson, the communications director at Greater Sudbury Hydro.

"The moratorium will end. Then instead of owing a hundred bucks, a couple hundred bucks, whatever their monthly amount will be, it's going to be dramatically more."

There was a trial moratorium last winter between Feb. 24 and May 1.

Watson saidat the end, there were 529Sudbury hydro customers facing disconnection. Fifty-nine were cut off, but she says generally, most disconnected customers get re-connected on the same day after they find the money to keep the power flowing.

During that time, thedebt being carried by the utility had grown by about $180,000, a cost, which she says, is spread out among the other electricity users.

"Ultimately it affects the rates that all the otherratepayershave to pick it up then. And that doesn't seem fair."

Watson says while they can't disconnect customers during the winter, they can continue charging interest on unpaid bills.

She recommends that Sudburians contact hydro to find out about the numerous programs designed to help people struggling to make ends meet.

"Talk to us. Don't wait until you owe us hundreds or thousands of dollars," says Watson.