Jun 7, 2007 6:12 pm US/Central
TXU Won't Cut Off Summer Electricity To Old & Poor
DALLAS (AP) ―
TXU Corp. says it won't turn off the power this summer for poor or older customers who fall behind on their electric bills and won't charge deposits for customers with good payment histories.
The utility said Thursday that customers who are at least 62 or considered low-income can avoid having their service disconnected by agreeing to pay 25 percent of the overdue amount with their first bill after September and the rest spread over the next five bills.
A spokesman said TXU defined low-income as a customer getting federal benefits such as food stamps or Medicaid.
TXU also said customers who are designated as critical care will not be disconnected from July through September.
Last year, the Public Utility Commission imposed limits on power cutoffs, and some lawmakers have urged the agency to do the same thing this summer.
Dallas-based TXU also said its retail division, TXU Energy, won't charge deposits to residential customers with zero or one late payments in the past 12 months.
The Legislature failed this year to approve bills that would have protected utility customers from summertime cutoffs and high deposit rules.
Dallas-based TXU is being bought by investors who have criticized current management. The buyers have tried to curry favor with consumers and environmentalists by cutting some rates and canceling plans for some coal-fired power plants.
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