FirstEnergy expands seasonal bill assistance

FirstEnergy (FE) Corp. and its operating companies in Ohio and Pennsylvania are promoting a range of seasonal bill assistance programs designed to help customers manage higher electric costs following stretches of bitterly cold weather. The company is directing eligible households to income-based payment plans, emergency hardship funds and usage reduction programs as a way to maintain or restore service and manage past-due balances.

Torrence L. Hinton, president of FirstEnergy (FE) Ohio, said winter bills can be challenging for many Ohio families and emphasized that customers do not have to navigate the situation alone. In Pennsylvania, John Hawkins, FirstEnergy president for the state, similarly encouraged customers who are having trouble paying their electric bills to reach out to explore available programs and payment options.

In Ohio, FirstEnergy’s Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison are encouraging customers to consider several assistance options. The Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus) allows eligible customers to pay a percentage of their household income toward their monthly electric bill and may help eliminate a past-due balance.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) provides cash grants to help customers pay winter heating bills, while Emergency HEAP is designed to help customers avoid service disconnection. Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OPAE) offers financial assistance to income-eligible customers, with a program that opens in March and remains available until funds are exhausted.

Utility-specific hardship programs include Project Reach for Ohio Edison residential customers, the Community Outreach Opportunity Program (CO-OP) for customers of The Illuminating Company, and Neighbors Helping Neighbors for Toledo Edison customers. A 2-1-1 helpline is also available year-round to connect customers with local assistance resources.

A key option for Ohio customers at risk of losing service is the Special Reconnect Option. Residential customers who have had service disconnected or are facing disconnection can pay $175 once per utility per heating season to restore or maintain service, with a reconnection fee possibly required if power has already been shut off. There are no income requirements for this program, which is available until April 15 and can also be used to establish electric service.

In Pennsylvania, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Company, known locally as Penn Power, Penelec, Met-Ed and West Penn Power, is promoting programs aimed at both bill payment and usage reduction. The Pennsylvania Customer Assistance Program (PCAP) allows residential customers to pay a percentage of their household income each month rather than their actual charges, and some customers may qualify to have past-due balances eliminated.

The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides payments directly to the utility to help with heating bills or restore service, with applications open through April 10. The WARM Low-Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP) offers homeowners and renters a home energy audit and personalized plan to save energy, and some customers may qualify for no-cost energy-saving home improvements.

For emergency hardship support, the Dollar Energy Fund helps customers maintain or restore electric service. Customers interested in assisting Pennsylvania families struggling with electricity costs can donate through dollarenergy.org/donate. FirstEnergy directs customers to firstenergycorp.com/billassist for details on assistance and payment programs.

Met-Ed serves about 592,000 customers in eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania, while Penelec serves about 597,000 customers across northern and central Pennsylvania and western New York. Penn Power serves roughly 173,000 customers in parts of several western Pennsylvania counties, and West Penn Power serves approximately 746,000 customers in 24 counties in central and southwestern Pennsylvania.

FirstEnergy’s Ohio operations, together with its broader distribution network in six states, form part of one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems. Across these territories, the company states it is focused on integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence while using targeted assistance programs to help customers manage seasonal billing pressures.