The educational campaign is one way Eversource is working to make energy bills more affordable for customers and follows the energy company’s announcement last week of a new Low-Income Discount Rate available for Connecticut financial hardship customers beginning in December.
As of the end of August, about 23 percent of Connecticut residential customers were signed up with a third-party supplier with the rest on Standard Service – the energy Eversource purchases on the open market on behalf of customers with no markup. In Connecticut, that rate changes twice a year – January 1 and July 1. The energy company plans to file a new Standard Service rate with Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) in mid-November which would take effect in January. While the supply rate will increase from the current 13.82 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), it’s not expected to be as high as last winter’s rate of 24.17 cents per kWh. A customer’s total bill will depend on how much energy is used, their rate category, and weather conditions.
“Now is the time to shop and plan. There are third-party suppliers currently offering low rates with contracts that extend through the winter months,” Sullivan said. “Customers have the ability to take control of their energy costs, and we hope they will.”
- Budget Billing Plan helps avoid seasonal spikes on your energy bill by letting customers pay a fixed amount each month based on their average annual usage.
- The Matching Payment Program can lower the amount customers owe on energy bills. For every dollar they pay and every dollar they receive from the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program, we will subtract a dollar from the amount owed.
- The New Start Program forgives overdue balances for electric customers as on-time monthly budget payments are made. (For example, if your budget payment amount is set at $150 per month and your past due balance is $1,200, for every month you make your required $150 payment toward your bill, we will reduce your past-due balance by $100.)
- Payment Plans are available to all customers to help pay their past-due balance over a period of time.
- A new Low-Income Discount Rate will take effect December 1, 2023 that can give customers with financial hardship either a 10% or 50% discount off their electric bill per month. Customers can qualify to receive the discount based on household income or receipt of a public assistance benefit. For example, if a customer has a $100 monthly bill, it would be $10 less if they receive a 10% discount or $50 less if they receive the 50% discount.
- State regulations are being updated to enable customers with a hardship status on their account to switch to a third-party supplier beginning early next year. The energy company is also working with state regulators and evaluating the system changes needed to enable hardship customers to choose a third-party supplier and also receive the Low-Income Discount Rate. Customers can opt out of financial hardship or medical protection status in order to enroll with a supplier before January 1, 2024 by completing a form at Eversource.com/supplier.
