Idaho Falls Power rolls out new protocol to help customers avoid debt

Changes are coming to how Idaho Falls power deals with accounts that are past due.

Any delinquent account with a balance more than 30 days past due without an approved payment or medical extension, will have their service disconnected. Customers will get a notification on their utility bill about past due balances at least 15 days before being disconnected.

Customers can set up a payment extension, but that needs to be before the disconnection. The extension can only be used three times a year.

Residential customers will no longer be assessed a late fee for non-paid accounts. Customers whose electrical service is disconnected will simply be assessed a $25 fee, which must be paid prior to being reconnected.

Non-residential customers (commercial, industrial, etc.) will be assessed a four percent late payment interest fee, which will trigger when a payment is 30 days past due. Non-residential delinquent customers will be subject to disconnect if they have not paid after three billing cycles. They will also be assessed a $50 disconnection fee and a $50 reconnection fee to restore services.

Idaho Falls Power says this will help keep overdue customers from going in debt.

“In the past when customers get behind, like 60, 90 days past due,” said Wid Ritchie, an energy services manager. “It is usually due to the fact that they get a $150 power bill, they end up 30 days past due now they have another bill on top of that, which could be $300 or $400 past due. Then if they get 60 or 90 days, they could be $800 or $1000 past due and not even realize it. It’s just debt they can’t come out of.”

All of these changes will be effective immediately October 1.

Idaho Falls Power will disconnect services all year-round, but for customer safety, disconnection will only happen when the temperature is above 30 degrees.

Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership administers two programs that are available for Idaho Falls Power Customers: LIHEAP and Project HELP. LIHEAP is federally funded program to assist low-income households with heating expenses. Project HELP is funded entirely by donations from Idaho Falls Power Customers.

EICAP provides one-time utility assistance to qualifying community members. It covers 2-3 months of utilities, and is provided for the winter months only.

Project Help provides financial assistance to Idaho Falls residents who no need help paying their utility bill. Assistance is limited to one payment per customer per year. Recipients are evaluated based on need.

For more information on energy assistance, contact them at 208-522-5391.

The Salvation Army helps with temporary utility assistance to qualifying community members. They help provide a portion of your past due payment to prevent your utilities from being disconnected.

For more information, call the agency at 208-522-7200.

The Community Council of Idaho provides temporary utility assistance to qualifying community members. To qualify for assistance through Community Council of Idaho, your household must receive income from agricultural work and meet income eligibility requirements.

For more information, call 208-524-0980.