The Power of Words.

WARWICK - With winter approaching, Rhode Island families without heat are increasingly desperate.

Last year's high energy bills and this year's worsening economy are creating a crisis, speakers told the state Public Utilities Commission yesterday.

"We are buried in shutoffs, more so than any other year," said Frank Corbishley, executive director of the Providence Community Action Program. "You are only looking at a crisis which is going to get worse."

More than 60 people attended the hearing that was rowdy at times and continued for more than four hours. Most urged the PUC to act now to amend the rules on when a customer loses service and what they have to do to get it turned back on.

The hearing was called on an emergency petition filed by Hugo L. Ricci Jr., lawyer for the People's Utility Fairness Coalition.

Ricci said an emergency exists because the PUC has failed to amend its shutoff rules before winter arrives. He accused the state Division of Public Utilities and Carriers and the companies of stalling. But they responded that Ricci and consumer advocates were to blame for the slow pace in changing the rules.

Consumers are eager for a plan to have their utility service restored before Nov. 1 because the weather is turning colder and because rules for shutoffs and restorations are more strict after that date.

The heart of the dispute is that consumer groups say customers should only have to pay 10 percent of their back bill to get service restored. The companies and state officials say that at that rate customers will never pay their bills, causing rates to rise for other customers.

Consumer advocate Henry Shelton first asked for a change in the rules last fall; the formal case began in February and hearings are not scheduled to conclude until next February.

Ricci in his emergency petition said the amount customers should have to pay should be lowered immediately.

The PUC meets today at 2 p.m. to consider that petition.

During yesterday's hearing, low-income families and community officials said the economy appears to be worsening. A spokesman for the Rhode Island Food Bank said requests for food have increased 28 percent since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, an unusual hike for this time of year.

Many consumers are still dealing with delinquent bills for heating bills that were an average 30 percent higher last winter. Through September, 17,276 families have lost natural gas or electric service, compared to 11,562 last year. The number of restorations is 58 percent compared to 61 percent in 2000.

John Howat, of the National Consumer Law Center, which tracks utility shutoffs, said the problem is widespread.

"You are not alone," he said. "This is a nationwide problem."

Barbara McKenny described how she lost her job of 25 years and even with a college degree she has struggled to find another one.

She has three children, a husband with cancer and mounting bills. When the gas company recently shut off her service, it demanded half of the bill, $638.

She eventually found the money, but it was not easy.

"You call and call and people all say their funds are depleted," she said.

Sandra Moretti said the temperature was 30 the night earlier this month when the gas company shut off service to the home she shares with her two children. She said she lost gas service because she was $75 behind in her payments.

"I can't believe that I was shut off for $75," she said. "I don't know how everyone is going to get through this winter. Everyone is getting laid off."

Sally Spears said she has five children, has not had gas service in four months and owes $4,000.

"I'm willing to pay something on the bill, but they don't want it, they want 100 percent," she said.

Many speakers said they want to keep their children warm, be able to take hot showers and to cook at home again.

State officials and the utilities generally defended the rules that have been in place for 15 years. Once a customer loses service, utilities have discretion in how much they can demand before payment is restored.

Commissioner Kate Racine fretted that too many people are not aware of available federal heating assistance and that the shutoff warnings are not being seen by customers.

Corbishley of Providence Community Action Program said the utilities and rules only concentrate on how much a customer owes, not on ability to pay. He said that Southern Union Co., which bought Providence Gas and Valley Gas last year, has repeatedly changed its demands on how much customers must pay to get service restored after a shutoff.

"It has created a nightmare for the company, for us and for the consumer," he said.

He suggested stretching out the amount owed so that customers can pay it over several years.

Howat, of the National Consumer Law Center, agreed that more creative solutions needed to be considered. That included forgiving a portion of the bill if a customer makes a good faith effort to pay some of what is owed.