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 will not lose your assistance if you switch to another
supplier.
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.
http://www.puco.ohio.gov/PUCO/Consumer/information.cfm?id=4062
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