Arizona Utility Cooperative Agreement
Under Governor Ducey’s leadership, Arizona’s largest electric utilities have a cooperative agreement to provide reliable electricity to homes, hospitals and businesses, and to help struggling Arizonans access reliable electricity.
Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP), Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and six other utilities will:
- Keep customers’ power on during the remainder of this crisis no matter their ability to pay
- Not impose penalties, late fees or interest
- Provide flexible options for payment, as well as guidance and choice of rate and payment plans
- Allow customers to switch to a different plan if they no longer feel that their current plan is the best option for them
- Provide individualized service to hospitals and health care providers
- Work with other utilities to provide resources and coverage for each other to ensure reliable service state-wide.
Water Services
Phoenix Water Services Department has suspended water shutoffs. Services will be temporarily restored to households disconnected due to unpaid bills to ensure residents can adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for frequent hand-washing. Tempe, Goodyear and Surprise are suspending disconnections for water customers who are unable to pay.
Electric/Gas
State Utility Assistance
Through the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Community Action Programs and other designated local providers offer several programs for energy assistance. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is an option for Arizonans to receive help to pay their heating and cooling bills, minimize crises and make energy costs more affordable.
UTILITY ASSISTANCE
Arizona Public Service
APS has suspended shutting off power for non-payment and waived late fees, set up a Customer Support Fund for those who need payment assistance and has commited to not shutting off service in the hot summer months between June 1, 2020 and October 15, 2020.
MORE APS SUPPORT
Salt River Project
SRP will not shut off customers’ power for non-payment and will waive late fees, donate $1.25 million to assist residential and small business customers and inspect systems to ensure power delivery through the summer.
MORE SRP SUPPORT
Tucson Electric Power
TEP will offer payment extensions, donate $1 million to bill payment assistance programs and review systems and supplies to ensure continued service.
MORE TEP SUPPORT
Southwest Gas
Southwest gas issued a moratorium on natural gas disconnections for non-payment, donated to the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund to support Arizonans and is following guidance from the CDC for safe practices and ensured continued service.
MORE SOUTHWEST GAS SUPPORT
Service providers
Many broadband and telephone service providers in Arizona have signed the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, which ensures that throughout the pandemic, Americans will not lose their broadband or telephone connectivity as a result of an inability to pay. In addition, providers will waive late fees for residential and small business customers and open Wi-Fi hotspots.
Arizona providers that have signed include Suddenlink (Altice), Centurylink, Charter (Spectrum), Comcast, Cox, Frontier Communications, Mediacom, TWN, Orbitel Communications, Sparklight (CableONE), Viasat, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon.
Cox Communications is opening about 2,500 free public Wi-Fi hot spots, increasing internet speeds for free to help with load capacity and is offering enrollment in its low-income broadband internet program.
Altice (Suddenlink) is offering K-12 and college students who do not currently have home internet access the Altice Advantage 30 Mbps free for 60 days for households within the Altice service footprint. For more information, call 888-633-0030.
CableONE (Sparklight) is offering 15 Mbps internet for $10 per month for the next 60 days for low-income families. Unlimited data is available for all internet services for 30 days to all customers. Free Wi-Fi hotspots are available in the Sparklight office parking lots during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, call 877-692-2253.
Comcast is offering free Wi-Fi for 60 days to lower-income families. All Xfinity hotspots are free to the public. Comcast serves Oro Valley, Marana, Pima County and parts of Tucson.
Charter is offering free access to broadband and Wi-Fi for 60 days and for new K-12 and college student households.
Orbitel Communications is offering a $15 a month, 10 Mbps product that includes a modem and router and free install for families with K-12 students eligible for the free and reduced meal program. Service area includes Maricopa and Sun Lakes.
AT&T is providing all AT&T consumer home internet wireline customers, as well as Fixed Wireless Internet, unlimited internet data. Business customers currently on or who purchase an AT&T World Connect Advantage package receive 50% off the current rate in a monthly bill credit. Businesses, universities and schools can keep their teams and classrooms connected through conference calls and video conferencing with Cisco Webex Meetings with AT&T for 90-days. AT&T has also created a new Distance Learning and Family Connections Fund to support new demands for at-home learning.
T-Mobile is expanding network capacity for customers across the country. It is also expanding roaming access for Sprint customers to use the T-Mobile Network. All current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers who have plans with data will have unlimited smartphone data for 60 days.
Verizon is providing free access to its public WiFi hotspots and unlimited data for its consumer home internet wireline customers and fixed wireless internet customers. Verizon will waive overage charges and late fees to support customers who may be financially affected by the COVID-19 crisis, in addition to automatically adding 15GB of high-speed data for wireless consumers and small business customers.
Sprint will offer unlimited data per month for customers with metered data plans. It will also provide customers with an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot data at no extra cost.