GA Coronavirus: Power, Gas Service Will Continue Companies Vow

ATLANTA, GA — As the new coronavirus continues to spread, Georgia Power and Atlanta Gas Light have assured customers that they will not lose gas or electric service for the next month.

Georgia Power will temporarily suspend residential disconnections for the next 30 days, which began on March 14, and will re-evaluate the policy and timeframe as the situation develops.

Atlanta Gas Light has voluntarily suspended service disconnections for nonpayment for seven days as the company assesses its next steps. This suspension will apply to both residential and commercial customers.

As of Sunday, there are 99 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Georgia, the Department of Public Health said.

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Georgia Power said in a press release that the company has "comprehensive plans and procedures to ensure a continuation of operations and service. The company’s detailed plans ensure readiness of the critical personnel and facilities necessary to continue providing the safe and reliable energy our customers expect and deserve."

“Our teams are always prepared to respond in challenging situations, and I am confident we will continue to meet the needs of our customers during this unprecedented time. It’s what we do,” said Paul Bowers, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. “Georgia Power’s operational plans, systems, infrastructure and generating plants are all designed with reliability in mind. We remain focused on ensuring both the well-being of our employees and the continuity of services for our customers."

Southern Company Gas has local distribution companies, including Atlanta Gas Light, Chattanooga Gas, Nicor Gas and Virginia Natural Gas.

“We understand that now more than ever our services play a critical role in our communities,” said Bryan Batson, president of Atlanta Gas Light. “We stand with the Georgia Public Service Commission in our commitment to ensuring that every family and company in our community has the fuel they need to continue heating their homes, cooking their food, taking warm showers and running their businesses.”

Atlanta Gas Light also offers energy assistance options to support those impacted as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. The following local community agencies can help customers who may be experiencing personal financial strain resulting from the pandemic:

• United Way: Call United Way for a referral to assistance programs by dialing 211 from anywhere within the state.
• LIHEAP: The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded energy assistance program that helps low- and fixed-income families meet their energy needs during the heating season. Eligibility is based on several factors, including fuel type, geographic region, household size and income. Call 404-657-3426 or 877-423-4746.
• Credit Counseling: If you or someone you know is having trouble paying bills, reach out to ClearPoint, a national, nonprofit credit counseling agency at 800-251-2227 (866-559-8198 for Spanish) or visit ClearPoint’s website at clearpoint.org.
• Senior Citizens Discount Program: Customers 65 years of age or older who have a total annual combined household income of $25,520 or less are eligible for up to a $14 monthly discount on their base charge. Natural gas service must be in the customer's name to be eligible. Get the online application through our website at atlantagaslight.com.

Other Local Assistance:

• H.E.A.T. Heating Energy Assistance Team 678-406-0212 (option 1) info@heatga.org | heatga.org
• Project Share of the Salvation Army 800-257-4273 salvationarmyatlanta.org/project-share
• St. Vincent DePaul Society 770-458-9607 svdpgeorgia.org

Atlanta Gas also provides self-service offerings online to help with bill management and payments, including payment arrangements through our My Account portal, which you can find by logging into your account online.

Atlanta Gas said to keep gas service safe and reliable, there are times when employees may need to enter customers’ homes and businesses.

"When they do, they will ask you some questions before entering to ensure they are taking the appropriate precautions," Atlanta Gas said in a statement. "They’ll also request some social distancing while in your home – maintaining a 6-foot distance and not shaking hands – and may wear protective gear, when necessary and appropriate. Please rest assured that we are taking these precautionary actions to maintain the good health of all employees so you can feel comfortable allowing them into your home."

The Georgia National Guard has been called in to help with the distribution of food and medicine after Gov. Brian Kemp on Saturday signed Georgia's first public health emergency declaration. The state of emergency includes price control restrictions for Georgia until April 14 as shoppers scramble to find necessities like toilet paper and cleaning supplies.

As of Sunday morning, one person in Cobb County has died from the respiratory virus, and the number of confirmed and presumed positive cases of COVID-19 rose from 66 on Saturday to 99 cases in 19 counties.

The state's lone fatality is a 67-year-old man who was hospitalized at WellStar Kennestone after testing positive for COVID-19 on March 7, authorities said. In addition to being infected with coronavirus disease, the victim also had underlying medical conditions, a news release said.

Presumed positive coronavirus cases in Georgia as of Sunday include: Dougherty County, Clayton County, Clarke County, Newton County, Henry County, Polk County, Gordon County, Fulton County, Cherokee County, Floyd County, Polk County, Bartow County, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, DeKalb County, Fayette County, Coweta County, Lee County, Lowndes County and Charlton County.

Globally, more than 156,000 people have been infected and more than 5,800 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Sunday morning. Of that total, nearly 3,000 confirmed cases are in the United States. There have been 57 deaths in the U.S. have been tied to the virus outbreak.

See also:

• GA Coronavirus: National Guard Called, Price Gouging, 99 Cases
• Publix, GA Grocery Store Hours In Flux For Cleaning, Stocking
• GA Presidential Primary Postponed Over Coronavirus: Officials
• GA Schools Offering Meals To Students During Coronavirus Closures