The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities today announced it would not disconnect utility service for nonpayment from Dec. 16 through Feb. 28.
The action was taken because customers and communities are facing potential hardship from the coronavirus, according to a BPU spokesman.
The temporary moratorium is for residential and business customers.
The BPU previously had a moratorium on disconnections from March 16 through May 31, and utilities throughout Kansas also suspended disconnections last spring.
According to a BPU news release, customers are asked to stay current with their bills to avoid getting too far behind. If anyone has any BPU billing or customer service questions, they may call 913-573-9190 and a utility representative will be available to assist them.
The administrative action today was approved by BPU General Manager William Johnson, according to a spokesman.
“As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread throughout our community, we will once again enact a moratorium on all utility disconnects,” Johnson said in a news release. “It is important for us to continue to support our customers who are continuing to struggle during this time.”
At the Nov. 18 BPU board meeting, a disabled Armourdale senior citizen whose family had COVID-19 asked the board not to disconnect them, as electricity was necessary to keep their medical machines operating. The resident was supported by an agency, the Community Health Council of Wyandotte County, which was advocating for an end to the disconnections.
The BPU was under a cold weather rule where utilities are not cut off in colder weather, and also has utility assistance programs in place through some area nonprofit agencies, BPU officials said at the November meeting. The BPU was allowed to cut off utilities from June through Dec. 15, depending on the temperature.
The Kansas Corporation Commission, which oversees private utilities but not public ones such as the BPU, extended an order on Dec. 15 that would require utilities to offer 12-month payment plans and waive late fees to help residential and small business customers avoid disconnection, according to a news release. The KCC is currently working on a report and recommendation on whether an additional suspension on disconnects will be implemented for private utilities in Kansas, and is due to issue the report Jan. 8, according to the KCC news release. The KCC orders do not apply to the BPU, as the BPU is a public utility with an elected board.
BPU outlines its payment methods and plans
The BPU offers several ways for customers to pay their bills, including mail and online, and also offers payment plans.
If you typically pay in person, there are a number of quick, easy, and convenient ways for customers to pay their monthly utility bill remotely. These include:
• Online at www.BPU.com – available 24 hours a day, seven days a week using a credit card or savings/checking account. Available in English and Spanish, payments are posted the next day.
• By phone – dial 1-855-278-2455 (1-855-BPU-BILL), using a credit card or savings/checking account.
• Auto-withdrawal – automatic check withdrawal allows your payment to be made from your savings or checking account on a monthly basis. Call 913-573-9190 to enroll.
• U.S. Mail – mail your payment to BPU at P.O. Box 219661, Kansas City, MO 64121-9661 in the return envelope provided with your monthly bill.
• FlexPay – allows customers to monitor their electricity and water on an “as-needed” basis, with services purchased on a pre-paid basis. There are no deposits and no late fees. Call 913-573-9190 to enroll in this program.
• Self-Service Payment Kiosks and Payment Drop Box – available 24/7, just inside the BPU lobby doors located at 540 Minnesota Ave., KCK.
• Grocery store Pay Site kiosks in the greater Kansas City area. Visit https://www.bpu.com/portals/0/pdf/billing-kiosk-locations-charts-vers-2.pdf for a list of participating locations or call 1-877-876-7076.
o BPU has temporarily waived fees to use PaySite kiosks to make payments. PaySite kiosks accept cash and checks.
Residential customers who are financially impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak can set up payment arrangements by calling 913-573-9145.
Even though the BPU has discontinued utility disconnects, customers will continue to receive reminders, including collection notices and calls as these notifications are important to remind customers of past-due balances and status of their accounts, according to the spokesman.
BPU is closely following the Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines and recommendations on the steps it can take to help prevent the spread of the virus, according to the spokesman. BPU will continue to closely monitor this situation and do all it can to protect its customers, employees, and the general public, the spokesman stated.