Oct. 4—MORGANTOWN — The state Public Service Commission has ordered all utilities and cable companies — except motor carriers — to implement a process to notify customers of planned and unplanned outages by text message and email, and to provide updated contact information to ask customers.
PSC issued the order on Friday. This culminates in 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 reporting 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 Consumer Advocate Division of the PSC also participated.
The companies were instructed to explain how they will notify their individually affected customers of service interruptions; what plans, if any, they have to add, expand, change or improve reporting systems; describe any technical or physical barriers to providing electronic notices by email or text message; and describe existing procedures for notifying the mass communications media of outages.
PSC noted at the time that the companies employ various practices and procedures, including door hangers, phone calls, emails, text messages, websites and social media posts. CAD said utilities should contact customers via phone call or text message, as an “absolute minimum standard.”
In its decision Friday, PSC acknowledged that many companies have already implemented text and email notifications and will need to update their procedures as necessary. For others, creating a process will take time.
PSC said it will leave it up to companies how they request updated contact information, but that they must provide periodic billing attachments and make advance inquiries for customers who want a new service or change services.
The order emphasizes that the companies must provide notices both by text message and email. They have 60 days to respond to PSC about the order.
The Dominion Post previously reported that Mon Power and its FirstEnergy affiliate Potomac Edison are using emails and automated phone calls for planned outages, with an option for text message alerts. For unplanned outages, dial-in customers can receive text and email updates. They also offer 24/7 website updates. They use media advice for routine updates of outages.
The companies are upgrading their text and email alert systems this month so they can send 500 notifications per second. They noted several technical barriers, including poor phone and email service, and that customers must sign up for alerts and report unplanned outages.
For expected weather-related outages, they will send an email to 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 will be reported to the media.
Hope Gas uses a campaign management application to target alerts to the specific area and call customers. It also has an outage reporting page on its website.
MUB will notify you of planned disruptions at least 24 hours in advance. For unplanned outages, the company will issue a boil water advisory within six hours of the outage.
MUB told the PSC that it has its own software program – MUB Connect – to alert customers to the affected area via text messages and phone calls. Notifications are also sent out when the fault is over.
MUB also uses social media, its website and door hangers to issue warnings. It also posts notices of planned outages in The Dominion Post.
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