June 17, 2021      5:37 PM

Amid power grid concerns, PUC no longer a sleepy agency

The Public Utility Commission is in it for the long haul when it comes to unpacking problems following Winter Storm Uri, the two members acknowledged at this morning’s PUC meeting.

Anger and frustration dogged the commissioners during remote public comments that opened the PUC meeting: A man from an oilfield solutions company faced a $300,000 bill from Reliant. A small business owner had a $15,000 bill from MidAtlantic that was as much as he spent on electricity in an entire year. And the owner of the non-profit low-income apartment complex for the elderly who could find no one to put her on an affordable payment plan.

Commissioners were prepared to face that kind of backlash after voting to end the moratorium on non-payment of electric bills. As Commissioner Will McAdams explained last week, payments need to enter the pipeline to help providers prepare for summer heat extremes.

Copyright June 17, 2021, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved