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Posted By IAMU,
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
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Uncontrolled fire hazards such as hot work, electrical issues, uncovered waste containers and faulty detectors are often overlooked.
To learn more, check out this article from the EMC Loss Control Insights.
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EMC
Insights
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Posted By IAMU,
Monday, May 4, 2020
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On April 27, 2020, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a new proclamation extending the public health emergency to May 27, 2020.The Iowa Utilities Board issued an Order on March 27, 2020,that restricted the disconnection of utility service to any customers by all electric and natural gas utilities, including municipal, cooperative, and investor-owned, and all investor-owned water utilities until the public health emergency is lifted by Gov. Reynolds. The order also strongly encouraged all water utilities to cease shutoffs of service for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The order issued by the IUB on March 27 is tied to the Governor’s proclamation and therefore, extends the winter moratorium until May 27, 2020.
The IUB originally extended the winter moratorium to May 1, 2020, by an emergency order on March 13, 2020, in Docket No.SPU-2020-0003. The order directed all electric and natural gas utilities to cease disconnection of residential service due to nonpayment for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) qualified customers. The emergency order was in response to a statewide disaster proclamation issued by Gov. Reynolds on March 9, 2020.Thousands of Iowans have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak and customers may be struggling to pay utility bills during the pandemic. The IUB urges customers to contact their local utility to discuss a payment arrangement. Customers seeking LIHEAP financial assistance for utility bills, should contact their local community action agency to discuss eligibility. The IUB continues to encourage all customers to continue paying toward their energy bills to avoid accumulating high debt and avoid facing utility service disconnection as the moratorium ends on May 27, 2020.
Income-eligible Iowans typically have until April 30 each year to apply for limited financial heating assistance through the LIHEAP program. The application deadline was extended to May 31, 2020, this year by the Iowa Department of Human Rights (IDPH).
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COVID-19
IUB
LIHEAP
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Posted By IAMU,
Monday, May 4, 2020
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Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a statewide disaster proclamation of public health emergency on March 9, 2020, due to the global novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In response to the March 9, 2020 proclamation, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) issued an order on March 13, 2020, extending the winter moratorium for eligible electric and natural gas customers from April 1, 2020, to May 1, 2020. This extension prevented disconnection of eligible customers until after May 1, 2020. The IUB issued an additional order on March 27, 2020, extending the moratorium until such a time as Gov. Reynolds disaster proclamation is lifted.
Today’s IUB order is another step in a series of actions by the IUB to provide assistance to customers and utilities and to aid in Iowa’s recovery. Through its prior orders, the IUB has restricted the disconnection of utility customers. As such restrictions on disconnection come to an end, coordination is needed among the IUB, utilities, and partner agencies to minimize ramifications while assuring both safe, reliable service to customers and just and reasonable compensation to the utilities.
The order finds the use of regulatory accounts by rate-regulated utilities is appropriate for the tracking of financial impacts arising after March 1, 2020, from the COVID-19 pandemic. The order requires the following:
- Opening of separate dockets for each rate-regulated utility to file information regarding these accounts.
- Require each rate-regulated utility to file a proposal for the use of regulatory accounts to be submitted for review by the IUB.
The IUB also finds in light of the expansion of the current disconnection moratorium and the additional economic impacts noted above, additional information is needed from Iowa utilities. The IUB has directed the utilities to file updates in regard to specific disconnection and payment plan information for residential, commercial, and industrial customers starting May 15, 2020, through April 15, 2021, as follows:
- All reporting categories separated by residential, commercial, and industrial customer classes in addition to the totals reported for all classes.
- The number of customers disconnected by customer class.
- The number of customers involuntarily disconnected that were eligible for energy assistance.
- The number of customers that entered into initial payment agreements, the average duration of the payment agreement, and the average monthly payment.
- The number of customers that entered into second payment agreements, the average duration of the second payment agreements, and the average monthly payment.
- The number of customers who entered into payment agreements not required by Board rules, the average duration of those payment agreements, and the average monthly payment.
- Revenue owed by class that are 30, 60, 90 or more than 90 days in arrears.
The IUB also requests through September 4, 2020, that all municipal electric, natural gas and water utilities, rural electric cooperatives and rural water association provide the following information to the IUB every two weeks:
- The number of utility customer accounts which are currently in arrears and the total amount in arrears for each class type.
- Whether those accounts are 30, 60, 90, or more than 90 days in arrears, specifying the number of such accounts and dollar amount of arrears for each of the customer classes of residential, commercial, and industrial.
- Include revenue loss, expenses, and other financial impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dependent upon the rate-regulated utilities evolving workforce availability and access to homes and offices, parties may need to seek waivers from the IUB to delay required regulatory actions. The IUB continues to monitor conditions to determine when such extensions or waivers may be appropriate.
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COVID-19
IUB
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Posted By IAMU,
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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From ASDWA Weekly Update, April 23, 2020
“EPA is hosting an upcoming webinar on lessons learned regarding AWIA risk and resilience assessments. This webinar will offer first-hand insights to medium and small-size systems in completing risk and resilience assessments and emergency response plans. A large water utility that achieved AWIA compliance with the March 31, 2020 deadline will also be sharing their strategy. Participants will learn how to access the latest tools, resources and guidance to assist their water utility in complying with the requirements of AWIA."
Date: Thursday, May 28
Time: noon – 1:00 pm (CDT)
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AWIA
EPA
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Posted By Administration,
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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The IAMU Broadband Conference has a new date! After being postponed from March due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the 2020 Conference will now be held on November 4th and 5th, 2020 at the Holiday Inn Des Moines Airport. Additional information will be announced soon, so save the date on your calendars!
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Broadband
Broadband Conference
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