GREENSBURG, Pa., Feb. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial
assistance programs continue to be available for FirstEnergy
customers in Pennsylvania who need
help with winter heating bills.
FirstEnergy's Pennsylvania
utilities include Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed),
Pennsylvania Electric Company (Penelec), Pennsylvania Power Company
(Penn Power), and West Penn Power Company (West Penn Power).
Assistance to qualifying customers is available through the
Dollar Energy Fund, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP) and the Pennsylvania Customer Assistance Program
(PCAP).
- Dollar Energy Fund is an emergency hardship fund designed to
help residential customers who have suffered a recent financial
hardship and need temporary help in paying their electric bill.
Program funding is provided by FirstEnergy customers, company
employees, and FirstEnergy shareholders. The distribution of
funds is administered by the Dollar Energy Fund. For
information call 888-282-6816 or go to www.dollarenergy.org.
- LIHEAP is a federally-funded grant program administered by the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
through its network of local county assistance offices.
LIHEAP provides customers help with paying winter heating
bills. LIHEAP funds may be used to pay an electric bill even
if electricity is not the main source of heat. For
information about LIHEAP call 866-857-7095 or go to
www.compass.state.pa.us.
- The Pennsylvania Customer Assistance Program (PCAP) helps
residential customers maintain electric service and eliminate their
past-due balance by offering a reduced bill that is based on a
percentage of income and debt forgiveness. Debt forgiveness
credits are applied directly to participants' electric service
accounts in recognition of payments that are made in-full.
PCAP participants also are automatically enrolled in the
Equal Payment Plan (EPP) – a budget plan that provides the ability
to make consistent monthly payments. Enrollment in the EPP is
a requirement for PCAP and customers must have a gross household
income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Income
Guidelines. For enrollment information call
888-282-6816.
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania residential customers also can manage
their electric bills through the FirstEnergy Equal Payment Plan
(EPP). With EPP, customers can make consistent monthly
payments to avoid seasonal highs and lows in their electric
bills. To apply or learn more about other company programs,
visit www.firstenergycorp.com or call 800-545-7741.
In addition to the payment options, FirstEnergy offers a Medical
Certification program. Disconnection of electric service
resulting from overdue bills can be delayed up to 30 days if it is
determined that the loss of electric service would be especially
dangerous to the health of a permanent member of a customer's
household. An appropriate health care professional must
complete a Medical Certification Form describing the resident's
medical condition. The Medical Certification process also can
be used to restore electric service after a customer has been
disconnected.
FirstEnergy also offers a program called Third Party
Notification where a relative, friend, clergy, or social service
agency can be notified along with the customer if electric service
is about to be disconnected. The third party is not obligated
to pay the overdue bills, but can help make payment arrangements
for the customer who might have difficulty paying their bill.
Met-Ed serves about 560,000 customers within 3,300 square miles
of eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. Follow Met-Ed on
Twitter @Met Ed and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/MetEdElectric.
Penelec serves nearly 600,000 customers within 17,600 square
miles of northern and central Pennsylvania. Follow Penelec on
Twitter @Penelec and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/PenelecElectric.
Penn Power serves approximately 163,000 customers within 1,100
square miles of western Pennsylvania. Follow Penn Power on
Twitter @Penn Power, and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/PennPower.
West Penn Power serves approximately 720,000 customers within
10,400 square miles of central and southwestern Pennsylvania.
Follow West Penn Power on Twitter @W_Penn_Power and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/WestPennPower.
FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to safety,
reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric
distribution companies form one of the nation's largest
investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, West Virginia,
Maryland and New York. The
company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles
of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at
www.firstenergycorp.com. Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter:
@FirstEnergyCorp.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy