The City of Alexandria announces the next step for the Utility “Restor” Program

Alexandria, LA (1/25/2023) – Project RESTOR seeks to “restore electricity security to our ratepayers” through three primary means: (A) a return to 30-day billing cycles, creating a going-forward balance under normal conditions of payment and delinquency rules (the “normal balance”) and a reset of the delayed reading of meters occurring in 2021 and 2022, (B) freezing certain, qualified past due residential accounts for installment plans and continuity of our system (the “RESTOR balance”), and (C) identification of qualified residential accounts for additional financial and grant assistance to bring the RESTOR balances current.

Beginning the week of January 23, 2023, newly billed charges to customers will return to normal rules for payment and delinquency. This in no way suggests the City will begin “cutting off” in the next few days; in fact, the earliest possible date under the Ordinances for disconnecting a delinquent non-RESTOR balance would be February 23, 2023. This way, the RESTOR balances can carry forward not accruing penalties or delinquencies subject to the RESTOR assistance and payment plans for qualified customers. The plans will be rolled out with FAQs to answer common questions. Working hand in hand with Mayor Roy’s 100-Day Plan to transition the utility system, the council has approved RESTOR to aid people hardest hit by the previous system failure. Council President Lee Rubin and the Council members anticipate this roll out to normalize our utility and assist customers many of whom through no fault of their own just need some help. Mayor Roy and Director Michael Marcotte thank all involved for assistance in achieving normal billing cycles.

We will unpack more on funding and rollout next week, but step one of normal billing cycles is now in reach and on schedule.