City of El Paso to explore safeguards against utility shutoffs for residents

The City of El Paso wants to find ways to protect people suffering financial hardships from getting their electricity disconnected.

On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously passed a motion to do an analysis that could identify potential safeguards and prevent El Paso Electric from cutting service to residents overwhelmed by their bills.

According to City Rep. Cassandra Hernandez, in the next 30 days, the City Manager and City Attorney will do a "comparative analysis," by looking at what safeguards other cities in Texas have for this issue.

While we all depend on having our lights on, it should not be at the expense of our groceries... mortgages and our rent, Hernandez said.

Hernandez believes the safeguards are needed as the added fees that come with disconnections, add to the financial struggles of El Pasoans. Besides, as the temperature in the borderland continues to drop, elders and people with medical conditions can't afford to have their power down, Hernandez added.

In response to the motion, EP Electric said it will cooperate with the analysis while also informing the City Council about the resources they have to help struggling customers.

In a written statement, EP Electric said it encourages residents to read " " section available on its website.

EP Electric's full statement reads:

We are aware of the City Council of El Paso's request for an analysis to ensure that our service and existing programs are meeting customer needs and will provide the information requested in the next 30 days while also highlighting the many resources we already have in place to assist our customers. We are committed to providing reliable service to all customers while following disconnection guidelines set by our regulator, the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Service may be disconnected after proper notice for reasons such as non-payment, failure to meet payment arrangements or non-compliance with deposit requirements. Customers receive a minimum 10-day notice before disconnection, during which time they may contact us to discuss available assistance or alternative payment options. We do not conduct disconnections on Fridays, weekends or holidays. We encourage all customers to read Your Rights as a Customer available at .

Once it's done, the comparative analysis will be presented to City Council sometime before Christmas.