MORGANTOWN — The state Public Service Commission has ordered all utilities and cable companies — except motor carriers — to have in place a process to notify customers of planned and unplanned outages by text and email, and to request updated contact information from the customers.
PSC issued the order on Friday. This culminates an investigation that began in April and led to the creation of a task force in May to recommend best practices and universal procedures for notifications of outages.
The companies named to the task force were Hope Gas, Cardinal Natural Gas, Mon Power and Potomac Edison, Morgantown Utility Board, Mountaineer Gas, Consumers Gas Utility, Union Oil & Gas, West Virginia-American Water, Beckley Water Co., Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power, Frontier West Virginia and Optimum.
The West Virginia Rural Water Association, the WV Internet and Cable TV Association, and the PSC’s Consumer Advocate Division also participated.
The companies were instructed to explain how they notify their individual affected customers of service outages; what plans they have, if any, to add, expand, modify, or improve notification systems; describe any technical or physical barriers that exist to providing electronic notifications by email or text message; and describe procedures in place to notify mass communication media of outages.
PSC noted at the time that the companies have differing practices and procedures — such as door hangers, telephone calls, e-mails, text messages, website, and social media posts. CAD said utilities should contact customers by phone call or text message, as a “bare minimum standard.”
In its Friday order, PSC recognized that many companies already have text and email notifications in place, and they should update their procedures as needed. For others, creating a process will take time.
PSC said it will leave it up to the companies how they request updated contact information, but they should provide periodic bill inserts and make inquiries up front for customers obtaining new service or changing service.
The order emphasizes that the companies must issue notifications by both text and email. They have 60 days to respond to PSC about the order.
The Dominion Post previously reported that Mon Power and its FirstEnergy sister Potomac Edison use emails and auto-dialer phone calls for planned outages, with an option for text alerts. For unplanned outages, customers who call in can receive text and email updates. They also provide 24/7 website updates. For routine outage updates, they employ media advisories.
The companies are upgrading their text and email alert system this month to allow them to send out 500 notifications per second. They noted several technical barriers, including spotty phone and email service, and that customers must opt-in to alerts and call in unplanned outages.
For anticipated weather-related outages, they email customers in the affected areas.
Cardinal Natural Gas told the PSC it has a small customer base and visits each customer and leaves door hangers. If an event requires mass communication, it notifies the media.
Hope Gas uses a campaign management application to target alerts to the specific area and phones customers. It also has an outage notification page on its website.
MUB, for planned outages, issues notifications at least 24 hours in advance. For unplanned outages, it issues boil water advisories within six hours of the outage.
MUB told the PSC it has a proprietary software program — MUB Connect — to alert customers via text messages and phone calls to the affected area. Notifications also go out when the outage has ended.
MUB also uses social media, its website and door hangers to issue alerts. It also places notices of planned outages in The Dominion Post.
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