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Elkhorn police check more than 30 homes after power cutoff

ELKHORN — Residents of at least eight Elkhorn homes or apartments were living without power last week following the end of the winter moratorium on shut-offs.

Elkhorn police did welfare checks on 32 homes in the city between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on April 21, according to the Elkhorn Police Department incident log.

The state's emergency winter period ended April 15, allowing utilities to disconnect customers who haven't been paying their bills.

In most cases, the residents were either moving or making arrangements to pay their bill, according to police reports.

The majority of homes visited by police were vacant.

In one case, the family was staying with friends, and in another, the resident appeared to have reconnected the power on his how, according to the report.

Power shut offs can have dire consequences for those struggling to keep the heat on.

Last fall, a father and daughter in Darien died from carbon monoxide poisoning after the power had been cut off for non-payment.

Police found Vincent Ayers, 46, and his daughter, Banessa R. Ayers, 18, in their home near downtown Darien on Nov. 4. A gas-powered generator was found inside the home; the generator was out of gas and was not running, according to investigators.

The power had been disconnected Oct. 27, five days before the winter moratorium went into effect.

Wisconsin law prevents utility companies from cutting off power between Nov. 1 and April 15.

Alliant Energy, We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service say the customers most at risk of being shut off are those who haven't paid their bill in at least three months.

People who are struggling to pay have several options. They can try to work out payment plans with their provider. They can also apply for home-energy assistance funds through their counties.