Help Paying Your Electric Bill

There are a number of programs available in Pennsylvania to help with your electric costs:

Budget Billing

Most electric suppliers offer budget billing, which allows you to pay a fixed amount each month.

Budget billing averages bills out over 12 months, so each monthly bill will be the same amount until the total bill is paid. The company may adjust the bill four times a year, up or down, depending on the customer's use. Residential customers may contact their electric utility and/or supplier and request budget billing at any time.

Any customer may choose to use budget billing. To qualify for some of the following programs, your income must be below a certain amount. These income limits can vary from company to company and from year to year.

Call your electric utility to find out more information about qualifying for these programs.

Customer Assistance Program (CAP)

This program is set up between the utility company and a low-income, payment troubled consumer to pay utility bills that are based on household size and gross household income. CAP customers agree to make regular monthly payments, which are usually less than the current bill, in exchange for continued utility service.

Besides regular monthly payments, customers need to follow certain rules to remain eligible for continued participation. CAP customers are able to choose a competitive electric supplier, but the discount they receive in CAP may be greater than the discounted rate offered by the supplier.

Call your electric utility for more information.

Customer Assistance Referral and Evaluation Program (CARES)

The Customer Assistance Referral and Evaluation Program (CARES) was designed to help customers with special needs find ways to pay their utility bills. Special needs include family emergencies, divorce, unemployment or medical emergencies.

Call your electric utility for more information.

Hardship Funds

Provides cash assistance to utility customers to help them pay their utility bills. Hardship funds provide assistance grants to customers who cannot qualify for other financial assistance programs, or to those that still have a critical need for assistance when there are no other resources. The funds make payments directly to companies on behalf of eligible customers.

Contact your electric utility for more information.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

LIHEAP is a federal program that provides both cash and crisis benefits or financial assistance to low-income households for home energy bills. Cash benefits help low-income consumers pay for their home energy bills while crisis payments help meet emergency home energy needs.

For more information, contact the PA Department of Human Services at 1-866-857-7095.

Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP)

The Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP) helps low-income, residential customers lower the amount of energy used each month.

Typically, the company may install energy saving features or make energy efficiency improvements in customers' homes to help reduce bills.

Contact your electric utility for more information.

Weatherization Assistance Program

Enables low-income families to reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Pennsylvania's Weatherization Assistance Program is administered through the Department of Community and Economic Development.