AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With cold
weather now affecting the region, financial assistance programs are
available for FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) customers in
Ohio who need help with winter
heating bills. FirstEnergy's Ohio utilities include Ohio Edison, The
Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison.
Assistance to qualifying customers is available through the Home
Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), Percentage of Income Payment Plan
Plus and the $175 Winter Reconnection
Option.
- HEAP is a federally funded grant program administered by
the Ohio Development Services Agency through a network of local
community action agencies. HEAP provides eligible customers help
with paying winter heating bills. For information about how to
apply call 800-282-0880 or visit www.development.ohio.gov. The
program provides customers with help paying winter heating bills in
two ways:
-
- HEAP Cash Program – annual grant to help with
heating bills
- HEAP Emergency Program – provides emergency payments until
March 31 to avoid shut-off or restore
electric service. Can be used only once per
heating season.
- Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP
Plus) is a year-round program that helps qualifying
customers with a household income at or below 150 percent of
the federal poverty level manage their energy bills. Payments
are based on a percentage of household income and are consistent
year-round. For information call 800-282-0880.
- The $175 Winter Reconnect
Option is based on an annual order issued by the Public
Utilities Commission of Ohio
(PUCO) that allows residential customers who are disconnected or
being threatened with disconnection the opportunity to pay a
designated amount to have their service restored or
maintained. The option may be used once during each heating
season, which runs from mid-October through mid-April.
Residential customers are required to pay no more than
$175 to maintain service under the
reconnection order. If the customer's service has already
been disconnected, the customer must pay the $175 and possibly a reconnection fee.
There is no income eligibility requirement to use the Winter
Reconnect Option. For information call the FirstEnergy Contact
Center at 800-589-3101.
Specific customer assistance programs also are available for
each utility:
The Illuminating Company
- The Ohio Fuel Fund grant is a company-funded program
that provides a one-time annual benefit to an eligible customer's
electric account. The grant is a maximum of $300 and can only be used for electric usage,
security deposits and reconnection charges. Customers can apply at
CHN Housing Partners at the corner of E. 30th Street and Payne
Avenue or the Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland at 1801 Superior Avenue,
both in Cleveland, or call
216-350-8008.
- The CEI Co-Op Fuel Fund is an emergency hardship fund
designed to help residential customers restore or maintain electric
service. The program funding is provided by The Illuminating
Company customers and employees. Customers can apply at the
Cleveland Salvation Army or call 216-861-8185.
Ohio Edison
- Ohio Edison Project Reach is an emergency hardship fund
designed to help residential customers restore or maintain electric
service. The program funding is provided by Ohio Edison customers
and employees and the distribution of funds is administered by
Salvation Army offices located throughout Ohio Edison's service
area. To find an agency visit
www.firstenergycorp.com/ReachAgencies.
Toledo Edison
- Toledo Edison Neighbors Helping Neighbors is an
emergency hardship fund designed to help residential customers
restore or maintain electric service. The program funding is
provided by Toledo Edison customers and employees. Customers can
apply at the Toledo Salvation Army or call 419-241-3549.
FirstEnergy Ohio utility residential customers also can manage
their electric bills through the 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/billassist or call 800-589-3101.
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 and sign a Medical Certification Form for the eligible
customer.
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.
The Illuminating Company serves 750,000 customers across
Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake
and Lorain counties. Connect
with The Illuminating Company at www.illuminatingcompany.com, on
Twitter @IlluminatingCo and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/IlluminatingCo.
Ohio Edison is a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) and
serves more than one million customers across 34 Ohio counties. Follow Ohio Edison on
Twitter @OhioEdison, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OhioEdison,
and online at www.ohioedison.com.
Toledo Edison serves more than 300,000 customers in northwest
Ohio. Follow Toledo Edison
on Twitter @ToledoEdison or on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/ToledoEdison.
FirstEnergy 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.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/firstenergys-ohio-utilities-remind-customers-of-available-assistance-programs-to-help-with-winter-bills-300762930.html
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.