Peninsula Light will stop disconnects, waive late fees during coronavirus crisis

The Peninsula Light Company is temporarily suspending customer disconnects and may waive late fees for at least the next month, the electrical cooperative announced Friday.

Penlight will also continue to offer assistance programs to people in need, including those who have been recently laid off due to the coronavirus, said Britni Wickens, a spokesperson.

The co-op will continue to read meters and send bills, Wickens said, and customers who are able should continue to pay what they can in order to avoid building up a large balance. Requests to waive late fees will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Penlight is a member-owned utility with about 30,000 customers in the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula areas.

The Penlite board of directors has approved an extension of Project Help, the company’s customer assistance program, through May. It also increased funding for the program and eased application criteria. Under the new criteria, customers in need may receive additional help even if they have already received a bill credit.

Last year, 675 families received about $135,000 in bill credits from Project Help.

Penlight is also asking member to donate to Project Help, and will double each donation given, Wickens said. Contributions are tax-deductible. Ways to donate can be found on member bills, or on the PenLight web site: https://www.penlight.org/member-services/project-help/

Members with questions may call the member services department at 253-857-5950.

This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 11:34 AM.