Statement on Customer Crisis Fund report to BC Utilities Commission
Today we submitted our report to the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) with our findings from our review of the first-year of the Customer Crisis Fund pilot program. Our report finds the delivery model and eligibility criteria for the program are effective and we’re recommending the program continue for the full three-year pilot to allow more time for us to examine the long-term effectiveness of it.
As a result of finding cost savings in the set-up and operation of the program, we’re also recommending the monthly charge to residential customers to fund the program be reduced by from 25 cents to 13 cents. We’ve submitted our application for this change to the BCUC. If approved, the new charge will come into effect on Oct. 1, 2019.
The Customer Crisis Fund pilot was established at the direction of the BCUC to provide BC Hydro customers that are facing significant financial hardship and possible disconnection of their service access to up to $600 in grants to pay their BC Hydro bills. The pilot launched on May 1, 2018 and was originally set-up to run as a three-year program. The BCUC directed BC Hydro to conduct a review after the first-year of the pilot.
Contact:
BC Hydro Media Relations
p. 604 928 6468