Nevada utility companies must now be more transparent about how frequently they shut off customers’ service.

Gov. Joe Lombardo signed Senate Bill 442 on Monday, requiring companies like NV Energy to provide a quarterly report to the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada that breaks down shutoffs by month and ZIP code.

Regular reporting of this data can help nonprofits and government agencies direct efforts to assist low-income Nevadans in paying their bills to restore service.

“SB442 shines a light on when and where utility disconnections are happening and who is being left in the dark,” Olivia Tanager, executive director of the Humboldt-Toiyabe chapter of the Sierra Club, said in a statement. “This is a commonsense accountability measure that empowers communities, protects public health and lays the groundwork for energy justice.”

Lombardo’s office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

NV Energy, the major energy provider that serves customers in Southern Nevada, said in a statement that it “shares the goal of ensuring that vulnerable Nevadans have access to the support they need to keep their energy service connected.”

The company added, “We appreciate the intent of the legislation and look forward to working with the Commission to align any new reporting with our existing capabilities and privacy protections.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Southwest Gas said it refers customers who are struggling to pay their bills to deferred payment plans and assistance programs meant to prevent shutoffs. It shuts off service to only about 5 percent of customers who don’t pay their bills, a lobbyist said during an April hearing.

During that hearing, an NV Energy lobbyist said the utility has provided $2.8 million in bill assistance to customers in the last three years.

Both heat and cold can be deadly

Existing state regulations in the so-called Consumer Bill of Rights prevent shutoffs during extreme temperatures on either side of the spectrum.

Air conditioning can be a lifeline during hellish Las Vegas summers, and the lack of it can be fatal.

A Public Utilities Commission spokesperson said it will begin a rulemaking process by the end of the month for implementation of the new law, which is set to take effect Oct. 1.

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