Utility disconnection ban no longer in effect in Mississippi

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the ban is no longer in effect.

The utility cutoff restriction the public service commission put in place just ended a couple of minutes ago.

The commission put in the restriction to help customers during the coronavirus pandemic who could not pay their utility bills.

Wayne hereford joins us live from lee county with what you can do now to get your bill caught up.

I spoke with the office manager at tomibigbee electric power which has some 43-thousand customers in our area.

He told me that even though you may be behind on your bill and face being disconnected, the company will work with you to get the bill paid.

."

Natsot.."did you get your bill paid?"

Yes sir i sure did."

One tombigbee customer paid her utility bill.

(who is she?) others followed suit.

The public service commission put a stop to disconnections to help customers during the pandemic.

But that protection ended today.

Now, a tombigbee electric power company manager says that customers need to either pay their bills in full, or come in and make arrangements.

Bruce williams is the office manager at tombigbee electric.

"what we are going to allow our members to do is divide their pass due amount over a three- month period to get caught back up.

Our second option is we allow a pre-pay program."

He says the pre-pay program allows you to pay a deposit on the overdue bill and a portion of what you put down will go towards your debt.

But he warns that not doing anything, is not an option.

"you need to call the service department either at tupelo or at fulton office to make arrangements to do either one of those two options."

Williams says the public service commission put the order in place in march or roughly seventy days ago.

Reporting live in lee county wayne hereford wtva nine news if you need some need