Ban On Utility Shutoffs Set To End In North Carolina

A moratorium on shutoffs for customers of North Carolina’s large for-profit utilities will be over at the end of the month. The News & Observer of Raleigh reports the ban issued by North Carolina’s Utilities Commission expires on Sept. 1. The commission has directed utilities to allow customers at least 12 months to repay overdue bills. An executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper halting cutoffs for all residential customers needing help due to the pandemic expired in late July, but the commission extended a delay for utilities it regulates. As of last month, over 1.3 million residential customers had avoided shutoffs because of the moratorium.