                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DISCONNECTION SUSPENSION FOR UTILITIES (§ 15.2-2121.2)

A. 1. No electric utility shall disconnect from service any residential customer
for the nonpayment of bills or fees (i) when the forecasted temperature low is
at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled
disconnection or (ii) when the forecasted temperature is at or above 92 degrees
Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection.

   2. No gas utility shall disconnect from service any residential customer for
   nonpayment of bills or fees when the forecasted temperature low is at or below
   32 degrees Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled
   disconnection.

   3. No water or wastewater utility shall disconnect from service any
   residential customer when the forecasted temperature is at or above 92 degrees
   Fahrenheit within the 24 hours following the scheduled disconnection.

   4. To ascertain the projected temperature as provided in this subsection, each
   utility shall refer to the forecasted local temperature provided by the
   National Weather Service where the customer to be disconnected is located.

B. No utilities shall disconnect from service any residential customer for
nonpayment of bills or fees on Fridays, weekends, state holidays, or the day
immediately preceding a state holiday.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit utilities from
voluntarily suspending scheduled disconnections during other extreme weather
events, emergency conditions, or circumstances in which a utility determines
such suspension is necessary to protect the health and safety of its customers
and the reliability of utility service in the Commonwealth. Further, nothing in
this section shall be construed to prohibit (i) a disconnection required by the
conditions of subdivision A 8 of &#xA7; 56-247.1, (ii) emergency disconnections
for health and safety purposes, or (iii) the occurrence of an automatic service
suspension associated with prepaid utility service. Any fees or expenses
incurred by a utility in complying with the requirements of this section shall
be recovered by the utility.

HISTORY: 2024, cc. 790, 824.