PECO Telling Delinquent Customers to Apply Now for LIHEAP
February 20 2017 - 1:09PM
Business Wire
Customers receive letters and notices that
their utility service could be shut off for payment issues
PECO is sending letters to more than 50,000 residential
customers who are delinquent on their accounts and believed to be
eligible for grants from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
Program (LIHEAP). The mailing includes an overview of LIHEAP, a
notice that their service could be shut off for non-payment, and
contact information to apply for the grants.
Customers are leaving money on the table that could help keep
their electric and natural gas service on. PECO does not want to
have to shut off service because customers have fallen behind on
their bill because they did not submit an application for
funding.
“We are concerned that some customers are not taking advantage
of the money that will help keep their light and heat on,” said
Patricia King, PECO’s manager of Universal Services, the group that
oversees the company’s low-income programs. “This is important
grant money that customers do not have to pay back. LIHEAP grants
are first come, first served so it is essential that customers
submit their application now before money runs out.”
Less than $51 million remains in LIHEAP funding for
Pennsylvania’s low-income residents. LIHEAP provides cash grants,
up to $1,000 per customer, through a direct payment made on behalf
of a customer to PECO. Customers do not have to be behind on their
bills in order to receive a cash grant. LIHEAP also has money
allocated for emergencies, including payments up to $500 to
reinstate services that have been shut off for non-payment, and for
repairing leaking pipes and broken furnaces.
LIHEAP is a federal program that provides assistance to
individuals who are having trouble paying their electric, natural
gas or other heating bills. Homeowners, renters, roomers and
subsidized housing tenants may be eligible.
Grants are based on household size and income, type of fuel used
and county of residence. A family of four with an annual household
income of $36,450 can qualify for help. To be eligible, annual
household income cannot exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty
income guidelines, or:
- $17,820 One-person household
- $24,030 Two-person household
- $30,240 Three-person household
- $36,450 Four-person household
For larger households, the guidelines increase by $6,240 for
each additional person.
PECO’s letter campaign is intended to ensure that all eligible
households take advantage of the assistance funds available through
the state. PECO employees also are canvassing the region to appear
at community events to share information about PECO’s assistance
programs.
Customers can call 1-800-34-HELP4 or visit peco.com/help, for
more information, questions, or help in filling out the
application.
PECO customers who are not eligible for low- and fixed-income
assistance, but are having trouble managing their energy costs
should also consider taking advantage of other programs including
budget billing. Budget billing makes short-term fluctuations in
monthly bills much easier to handle by dividing annual energy costs
evenly throughout the year.
All customers can save money on their monthly energy bills by
using energy as efficiently as possible. To find low- and no-cost
ways to save energy and money, visit peco.com/smartideas.
PECO, founded in 1881, is Pennsylvania’s largest electric and
natural gas utility. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PECO delivers
energy to more than 1.6 million electric customers and more than
516,000 natural gas customers in southeastern, Pennsylvania. The
company’s 2,500 employees are dedicated to the safe and reliable
delivery of electricity and natural gas as well as enhanced energy
management conservation, environmental stewardship and community
assistance. The company also has an estimated annual economic
impact of $4.3 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 8,700
local jobs and producing $732 million in labor income. PECO is a
subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's only
Fortune 100 utility and leading competitive energy provider. For
more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on
Facebook and Twitter.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170220005604/en/
PECOBen Armstrong215-841-4137 or
215-841-5555benjamin.armstrong@exeloncorp.com
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