Message from the Consumers' Counsel:

Utility Assistance Programs & Energy Saving Tips

Heading into the winter heating season, residential consumers living in the midwest will see anywhere from a 61 percent to 71 percent increase on their heating bills. These higher prices are primarily due to weather conditions and limited natural gas production. That is why it is more important than ever before that consumers consider enrolling in assistance programs and review payment options that might be available to help offset higher heating costs

Low income assistance programs

We encourage customers with incomes that are at or below 175 percent of the poverty level to take a look at the following programs that can help them stay connected to their heating source this winter. These programs could help make monthly bills more manageable since they pay a portion of a consumer's energy bills through the winter heating season.

• Home Energy Assistance Program - HEAP provides a one-time payment toward your heating bill during the winter heating season, October 17, 2005 and April 14, 2006. To be eligible consumers must sign up for HEAP before March 31, 2006 and be at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level.
• Emergency HEAP - (E-HEAP) provides a one-time payment per heating season for customers who face disconnection or have been disconnected or have less than a 10-day supply of bulk fuel. To be eligible consumers must be at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level and sign up between November 1, 2005 and March 31, 2005.
• Percentage of Income Payment Plan - PIPP allows customers to maintain service by paying a percentage of their income towards their monthly bill. To be eligible, consumers must be at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
• Home Weatherization Assistance Program - HWAP is a federally funded low-income program that helps reduce energy usage in the homes of those consumers who are at or below150 percent of the federal poverty level. For more information on HWAP, contact the OCC at 1-877-742-5622 or the Ohio Department of Development's HEAP office at 1-800-282-0880.
• Winter 2006 special assistance program - On October 6, Governor Taft released $75 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families fund to supplement the HEAP program. This will provide a 10 percent increase to the average benefit that households received in assistance to pay their heating bills last year. The use of these funds will enable households who are between 151 percent and 175 percent of the federal poverty level to be eligible to receive assistance.

Budget billing programs

Consumers who are not eligible for the HEAP or PIPP programs do have options to help manage their bills and stay connected. Budget billing programs allow consumers who are current on their payments to spread the amount they owe over a 12-month period. This can help avoid disconnection during the winter.

Winter reconnect program

The Winter Reconnect Program allows consumers who are facing disconnection or have been disconnected during the winter heating season to stay connected or be reconnected for $175 and a reconnection fee of no more than $20. There are no income qualifications for this program.

Energy efficiency

In addition to these programs, consumers can help lower their heating bills by becoming more energy efficient. Consumers would be surprised to learn that by turning their thermostat down by three degrees this winter, nearly a 10-percent savings could be realized on their monthly heating bill. Another way to help reduce the amount of energy used is to install a programmable thermostat. Consumers can set the thermostat to regulate the temperature so that less energy is used to heat the home while they are away or overnight while the household is asleep.

To learn more about utility assistance programs and energy saving tips, visit the Stay Connected section of our website or call us toll free at 1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622).

 

Best regards,

Janine L. Migden-Ostrander