Customer Assistance Programs

Customer Assistance Programs (CAP) are required by state regulations and are established by utility companies to assist customers who are having problems making their payments, or are in need of emergency financial assistance to prevent service termination. If you are a CAP participant, you may not lose your assistance if you switch to another supplier depending on where you live. Currently, if you are in the Duquesne Light territory, you cannot switch to another supplier without jeopadizing your CAP eligibility.

The programs differ from one utility to the next. Some are more comprehensive than others. For instance, Allegheny Energy offers emergency grants through the $1 Energy Fund, payment plans for seniors, weatherization and usage reduction programs. FirstEnergy, on the other hand, only has an emergency payment plan (PIP). This is also true for their subsidiary in Pennsylvania, Penn Power. Duquesne Light offers services across the board, and has been held up as a model for its assistance to seniors and its comprehensive usage reduction program.

The gas companies have also put similar programs in place. Dominion East Ohio and Dominion Peoples offer a full spectrum of options in their payment assistance plans. Equitable Gas has payment plans as well as usage reduction options. Columbia Gas has a comprehensive offering of programs for seniors, low-income, payment troubled, and regular customers?

CITIZEN POWER provides some basic information below about the various CAPs in the region. For more information, click on the links below to find out what CAPs your utility offers and the eligibility requirements.

Ohio Public Utilities Commission

Dominion Peoples

Columbia Gas

Equitable Gas Assistance Programs

Allegheny Power Universal Services
CALL: 1-800-207-1250

Duquesne Light Company Universal Service Programs
CALL 1-888-393-7600