The District is struggling to pinpoint gas and electric customers who have had their heat shut off because consumer protection laws prohibit the utilities from turning over the addresses.
Mayor Adrian Fenty has ordered his staff to begin door-to-door visits of residential properties identified as possibly lacking heat, to inform residents of government-financed utility assistance. But even as the coldest, perhaps stormiest stretch of the winter season approaches, Washington Gas and Pepco are keeping those addresses under wraps.
It’s a matter of privacy law and company policy, officials said.
“We are not allowed by law to provide information without written permission from the customer,” said Debbi Jarvis, Pepco media relations manager.
Without addresses, the District is now combing databases to pinpoint ZIP codes with a history of large numbers of disconnections to at least provide some focus for the effort.
“Obviously it’s frustrating, but what I’m finding is a lot of the folks are contacting the [D.C. Energy Office],” said Merrit Drucker, director of the District’s Office of Community Relations and Services. “A lot of people are connecting on their own. I’m trying to scope out the extent of the problem right now, to find out who hasn’t been connected.”
That could include an illiterate resident, an elderly person suffering from Alzheimer’s or perhaps an immigrant who speaks no English.
Washington Gas has agreed to reach out to disconnected households, through mailings and telephone calls, to inform them of various avenues for assistance. But Janet Davis, Washington Gas spokeswoman, said the customers have heard the messages before.
“The minute anyone falls behind, we tell them,” Davis said. “We say ‘Hey, you’ve fallen behind and here’s where you can go to get assistance.’ ”
Terry Lynch, executive director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations, said he has been told by the utilities that between 700 and 800 customers are likely without gas heat today. A Pepco spokeswoman said 149 customers in the District had been cut off this month, though the number was down to 84 as of Monday.
Lynch launched his inquiry following the Jan. 17 death of 65-year-old Bessie Sanders, whose Petworth home caught fire. Sanders had been burning candles because her utilities had been shut off.
Call for utility help
» In the District, 202-673-6750
» In Virginia, 800-230-6977
» In Maryland, 800-352-1446
