As shutoffs resume after more than two years,
low- and moderate-income customers will continue to have assistance
with bills and may be eligible for new protections
UNIONDALE, N.Y., June 30,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Utility service shutoffs for
nonpayment have begun to resume across New York State, and PSEG Long Island expects
to resume shutoffs on July 12.
Continuing more than two years of outreach efforts, PSEG Long
Island stands ready to work with customers with outstanding
balances to avoid interruptions to their service. Service shutoff
for nonpayment is always the last resort, and customers who are
behind on their bills can still call 1-800-490-0025 to get help and
protect their energy service from disconnection.
"We want to reassure our customers that if they're struggling
with their energy bills, we are here to help. We are ready and
willing to partner with households who have fallen behind on their
bills, as we have been throughout the pandemic," said Rick Walden, vice president of Customer
Services, PSEG Long Island. "That commitment is not going away. We
offer many programs to help people who are behind on their bills,
including deferred payment agreements, low-income electric rates,
and more."
How customers can avoid a shutoff
- A deferred payment agreement, allowing qualified customers to
pay down their outstanding account balance by as little as
$10 a month in addition to the
current bill, protects customers from shutoffs.
- Low- and moderate-income customers who receive certain
externally administered financial assistance benefits and enroll in
PSEG Long Island's Household Assistance Program will be protected
from shutoffs until Sept. 1.
- New York State Electric and
Gas Bill Relief Program - Customers enrolled in PSEG Long
Island's Household Assistance Program will automatically receive a
credit toward their unpaid balance through May 1, 2022, via this new, state-run program.
Currently, more than 14,000 PSEG Long Island customers will receive
this credit. Customers who meet the eligibility requirements and
have not yet enrolled in the Household Assistance Program have
until Dec. 31 to enroll and receive
this bill credit.
- Customers who have received a payment on their PSEG Long Island
account through the New York
State-administered Emergency Rental Assistance Program
(ERAP) also qualify for the New York
State Electric and Gas Bill Relief Program. As ERAP payments
continue to be received, the New York
State Electric and Gas Bill Relief Program will remain open
through Dec. 31.
Customers with unpaid account balances should call PSEG Long
Island at 1-800-490-0025 to determine if they are eligible for
these or other financial assistance programs, and to develop
individualized payment agreements.
"It's not too late. We know how hard it has been to manage
household bills when your income has been affected," Walden said.
"We want to work with our customers, make sure they know about
assistance programs, and help them set up individualized payment
agreements that avert a shutoff, letting them pay what they can now
to prevent them from getting too far behind."
What to know about shutoffs:
- In March 2020, PSEG Long Island
suspended all service shutoffs for nonpayment and continued this
protection throughout the New York COVID-19 State of Emergency,
which ended last summer.
- After the state of emergency ended, PSEG Long Island extended
additional shutoff protections through the end of 2021.
- Following the practices of several electricity and gas
providers across the state, PSEG Long Island will soon resume
service shutoffs for accounts that do not respond to repeated
efforts to establish a payment agreement.
- Shutoff of service for nonpayment is a last resort that only
occurs after PSEG Long Island makes multiple efforts to contact and
help the customer.
- Customers with unpaid balances who do not already have a
deferred payment agreement should call 1-800-490-0025 so PSEG Long
Island can assist them.
- If previous outreach efforts are unsuccessful, a PSEG Long
Island representative will make a final attempt to contact the
customer of record, in person, to accept a payment and avoid a
shutoff.
- When service is terminated, a service suspension notice will be
left at the location with instructions on how to work with PSEG
Long Island to reconnect.
Customers are beginning to take action
PSEG Long
Island continues to partner with social service agencies and
perform outreach to customers who have fallen behind on their
bills, including letters informing them in advance about the
resumption of shutoffs for nonpayment.
For the past seven months, PSEG Long Island field
representatives have been making customer visits, connecting
one-on-one with residential customers who have past-due account
balances to discuss payment methods, accept a payment or work out a
payment plan to pay down balances over time. In that time,
representatives have visited with more than 47,000 residential
customers and 10,000 of those customers have entered into deferred
payment agreements. PSEG Long Island representatives work with
customers to find the best solution for the household.
PSEG Long Island's Consumer Advocacy team also works year-round
to provide customers with crucial information, utilizing email and
social media, hosting educational webinars, and conducting
proactive phone outreach. These outreaches also include energy
efficiency tips, referrals for additional assistance for food
insecurity and housing concerns, and help applying for the
federally funded, statewide Home Energy Assistance Program
(HEAP).
When a new, state-administered program was established to
provide eligible households up to $10,000 in unpaid bill forgiveness in the fall of
2021, PSEG Long Island mobilized to inform as many customers as
possible, hosting a series of webinars that connected with more
than 1,000 customers. The Consumer Advocacy team made thousands of
phone calls to encourage customers to apply.
The combination of PSEG Long Island's efforts and New York State's own outreach resulted in more
than 7,000 PSEG Long Island customers benefiting from this unique
program – receiving $20 million of
the $150 million total utility aid
that had been made available statewide.
Where to learn more about available assistance
For
more information on PSEG Long Island financial assistance programs,
visit
https://www.psegliny.com/myaccount/customersupport/financialassistance.
Programs available for customers, both internal and externally run,
include:
- Emergency HEAP. $90
million in federal funding through Emergency HEAP was made
available to help low- and middle-income New Yorkers avoid having
their home heating disconnected or exhausting their heating source
amid fuel price increases. This benefit has been extended through
Aug. 31. If you are experiencing an
emergency, you can apply for this benefit by reaching out to your
local Department of Social Services location, which you can find
here: https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/contacts/
- For low-income households facing no-heat situations, the State
Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is also accepting
applications for its heating equipment repair or replacement
benefit. Eligible homeowners can now apply for up to
$3,000 for repair or $6,500 for replacement of a furnace, boiler or
other direct heating equipment necessary to keep the household's
primary heating source working. Additionally, eligible households
can receive energy efficiency services, which includes the cleaning
of primary heating equipment to allow for its safe and efficient
operation. You can apply for this benefit by reaching out to your
local Department of Social Services location, which you can find
here: https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/contacts/
- Household Assistance Program – PSEG Long Island's
Household Assistance Program provides a monthly credit on electric
bills for customers who receive benefits from specific federal and
state assistance programs. Enrollment is open, and if approved, is
effective for 18 months. It is also renewable. For more
information, contact PSEG Long Island's Consumer Advocacy group at
consumeradvocacyLI@pseg.com or visit
www.psegliny.com/myaccount/customersupport/financialassistance.
- PSEG Long Island's Residential Energy Affordability
Partnership (REAP) program can help income-eligible customers
save energy and lower energy bills. It starts with a free In-Home
Energy Survey and potentially free efficiency upgrades. For more
information, visit
https://www.psegliny.com/myaccount/customersupport/financialassistance/reap
PSEG Long Island also has other tools to help customers cut
their energy costs:
- Home Energy Analyzer – a do-it-yourself online tool that uses a
simulation model to validate how energy is used in the home.
- My Energy Profile – an online suite of easy-to-use tools that
can help a customer understand energy usage and how to conserve it.
With this tool, customers can track energy efficiency efforts over
time and see comparisons to similar homes in the area.
- Energy Efficiency Rebates – PSEG Long Island offers rebates on
products including LED light bulbs, advanced power strips and major
appliances such as dryers and heat pump water heaters.
For more information on HEAP and federal programs, visit
https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/.
For more information on energy and money saving programs and
tips, visit https://www.psegliny.com/efficiency.
PSEG Long Island
PSEG Long Island operates
the Long Island Power Authority's transmission and distribution
system under a long-term contract. PSEG Long Island is a
subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG)
(NYSE: PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy
company.
Visit PSEG Long Island
at:
www.psegliny.com
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Facebook
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Long Island on Twitter
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LinkedIn
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Island on Flickr
Contact: Media Relations Pager
516.229.7248
mediarelationsLI@pseg.com
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SOURCE PSEG Long Island