Indiana utility companies offer winter heating bill assistance - IndyStar

Citizens Energy Group and AES Indiana person launched a collaboration to amended Hoosiers astir imaginable vigor assistance programs arsenic inferior bills spell up erstwhile the somesthesia drops.

The campaign, dubbed Utilities Unite for Customers, volition see societal media posts, mailing inserts and emails to customers outlining disposable federal, authorities and section assistance programs designed to trim inferior bills oregon supply different assistance to customers.

“We cognize galore customers are struggling financially nether the burdens of inflation, particularly for essentials specified arsenic food, clothing, and gasoline,” Jeffrey Harrison, president and CEO of Citizens, said successful a written statement. “That’s wherefore we are expanding our efforts to assistance customers successful request and partnering with AES Indiana to maximize resources and summation consciousness and utilization of assistance programs.”

Citizens offers its ain discount program, providing 10% to 25% breaks connected state bills for customers who suffice for vigor assistance programs. A Warm Heart Warm Home Foundation assistance is besides disposable to customers struggling to support up with heating costs during the winter.

AES offers akin programs, including AES Indiana’s Power of Change, which is an exigency alleviation money for qualifying customers who person received a disconnect notice.

“We truly privation to promote everyone to cognize and recognize the assistance programs offered by their inferior companies and the assemblage resources disposable to them," Kristina Lund, president and CEO of AES US Utilities said successful a written statement. "This is simply a challenging time, but we volition get done it, each together.”

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Where bash I start?

There are national and authorities funds disposable to assistance with inferior payments. Households that autumn beneath 60% of Indiana’s median income whitethorn use done the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. For example, authorities information shows the yearly median income for a single-person household is $27,827. For a four-person household, the median income is $53,515.

Hoosiers who conscionable the fiscal parameters tin telephone 1-800-872-0371 oregon sojourn EAP.ihcda.in.gov to statesman the exertion process. Customers request to person a transcript of their astir caller electric, earthy state oregon inferior measure during the process.

How bash I get assistance?

Citizens customers who suffice nether the programme volition person a discount betwixt 10-25%. Citizens besides runs the Warm Heart Warm Home Foundation to supply fiscal assistance to those having occupation paying inferior bills. The grants from the programme tin assistance customers drawback up with past-due bills and prolong inferior services. The institution besides offers a fund billing enactment to dispersed the costs passim 12 months to support monthly payments much manageable.

AES Indiana’s Power of Change is unfastened to Hoosiers careless of if they suffice for the vigor assistance programme oregon not. Head to aesindiana.com/power-change for an application. Power of Change is simply a one-time assistance for customers with past-due bills of astatine slightest $50 and who person received a disconnection notice. AES besides offers flexible billing options and outgo extensions.

The authorities of Indiana provides national funds to those qualified nether the assistance program.

Residents qualifying for the programme volition besides beryllium protected from being disconnected owed to the state’s Moratorium law. Qualified customers are harmless from being disconnected from Dec. 1, 2022, to March 15, 2023.

Residents funny successful applying for the EAP indispensable interaction a section work provider. For Marion residents, interaction the John Boner Neighborhood Centers. The organization’s website is: www.jbncenters.org, and it tin beryllium reached by telephone astatine 317-633-8210.

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How tin I instrumentality enactment astatine home?

The U.S. Department of Energy’s website lists galore tips to trim vigor costs erstwhile heating your home. The bureau suggests utilizing a “whole-house” attack that combines due and updated heating instrumentality arsenic good arsenic making definite windows and doors are decently sealed and thermostat settings are efficiently set.

Some of these tips include:

• Setting the thermostat arsenic debased arsenic is comfy and lowering the somesthesia erstwhile sleeping oregon retired of the house.
• Make definite furnace filters are cleaned and replaced arsenic recommended by the manufacturer.
• Keep shades and model coverings connected south-facing windows unfastened during the time to fto successful sunlight but support each model dressings closed astatine night.
• Make definite nary furnishings is blocking heating vents.

The Utilities Unite for Customers run besides suggests lowering h2o heater temperatures and installing weather-strips on windows.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You tin scope him astatine karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him connected Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar's biology reporting task is made imaginable done the generous enactment of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.