As the coronavirus pushes many workers out of the office, and even out of employment, Alaska Electric Light and Power has temporarily suspended late fees and involuntary disconnections.
“These are challenging times,” said AEL&P vice president Debbie Driscoll in a phone interview. “We know folks are struggling with income loss and potential job loss and we want to help alleviate that if we can.”
Driscoll said that the company is working with people to spread-load payments so that customers aren’t blindsided by an insurmountable climb when normalcy returns.
“Our credit department is also working with folks to help folks from falling too far behind,” Driscoll said. “We try to spread the payments out in a way that feels doable to folks.”
Driscoll encouraged people experiencing financial hardship to contact the company as soon as possible to work out a plan going forward that’s amenable to both parties.
“Someone will always be here to answer questions,” Driscoll said. “It’s better to talk with us sooner than later.”
AEL&P is also taking steps to protect its staff from infection as more confirmed cases appear in the Southeast. AEL&P’s lobby is closed, though their drive-thru window is still open, and workers are taking extra pains to decontaminate frequently touched services and to follow the CDC’s best practices as the country deals with the outbreak.
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757.621.1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.
