Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has written letters urging the management of Guam Waterworks Authority and Guam Power Authority to halt plans to disconnect delinquent ratepayers until a majority of unemployment benefits are paid out by the Guam Department of Labor.

On June 18th the utility agencies announced that disconnections for non-payment of power and water utility bills will resume on July 1, 2020. GWA and GPA urged ratepayers to begin making payment arrangements immediately. Disconnections were suspended in March and continues through June 30th.

In response to the Governor’s request Consolidated Commission on Utilities member Simon Sanchez said no mass disconnections will occur on July 1st but that GPA and GPA encourages all ratepayers who may have become delinquent during the loss of income caused by Covid-19 to come in to negotiate payment plans. “Disconnections may begin in July but not until or unless a ratepayer decides not to negotiate a payment plan in July,” Sanchez stated.

During a CCU meeting this evening it was announced that over 100 payment plans have already have been negotiated and more are being negotiated each day. “We agree with the Governor that the released PPP, PUA/FPUC and tax refunds and other smaller programs will greatly assist delinquent ratepayers in coming as current as possible while still allowing them to negotiate a payment for any remaining balance, for at least 6 months and possibly twelve months. We will use the month of July to allow delinquent ratepayers to negotiate payment plans,” Sanchez stated.