AUGUSTA – The Maine Public Utilities Commission’s winter restrictions on electricity disconnections come to an end today.

Utilities are required to contact the PUC before they can turn off power to a home between Nov. 15 and April 15.

Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. has 8,921 residential and business customers who have received disconnection notices, according to Bangor Hydro spokeswoman Susan Faloon. Collectively they owe $3.7 million.

“We were very proactive in letting people know what the regulations were prior to November 15, letting them know what their options were and communicating with them all winter. In some cases that meant going to a person’s home and sitting down with them,” Faloon said. “It was a rough winter for many people, but we really tried to work with people as much as possible.”

Central Maine Power Co. said about 29,000 customers are behind in their payments from December through March.

CMP spokeswoman Gail Rice said the end of the winter restrictions doesn’t mean CMP will immediately cut off electricity to those customers. Faloon agreed.

Customers who have received a past-due notice should contact their utility company to make payment arrangements if they have not done so already, both Faloon and Rice said.