Submitted by Mitch Gross
BERLIN, Conn. (Feb. 3, 2021) – With Connecticut’s state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic extended to April 20th, Eversource is reminding customers to enroll in one of its payment plans or assistance programs if they need help with their energy bill. Both residential and non-residential customers are eligible for payment arrangements at this time and are encouraged to call the energy company at 800-286-2828 to learn more. Any residential customers experiencing difficulty paying their utility bill should contact Eversource’s call center to inquire about being coded hardship. Any customers ineligible for hardship status, including both residential and non-residential customers, should ask about the COVID-19 Payment Program.
“Since the state of emergency has been extended, there is time for customers to take advantage of the special payment plans available during these challenging times,” said Eversource Vice President of Customer Operations Jess Cain. “We want to help customers who’re having a tough time paying their energy bills and participating in a
payment plan not only arranges affordable monthly payments for them, it also protects them from service disconnection. We encourage customers to contact us so we can help them determine which of our flexible payment plans or special programs would be the most helpful to them.”
Customers who’ve never needed assistance previously may not realize they qualify for protection from service disconnection and may also be eligible for other programs to reduce past due balances. For example, a household of five with an annual income of ~$84 thousand dollars meets the income-eligibility requirements. Eversource encourages all customers to contact the energy company at the number above or to check their eligibility on the state income-eligibility matrix – and find out if one of the energy company’s programs below could be beneficial to them.
Important Dates:
o Enrollment for the COVID-19 Payment Program for non-residential and residential customers is open until April 20, 2021.
COVID-19 Payment Plan:
o Available to any customer, residential and business, requesting financial assistance, without demonstrating financial need;
o Requires no initial down payment;
o Can be up to 24 months;
o Any late payment fees or interest is waived in the calculation of the monthly payment amount;
o Any customer enrolled in a COVID-19 Payment Program who is current with their payment terms cannot be disconnected even once service disconnections resume.
New Start Program:
o Customers can reduce or eliminate their outstanding balance in as little as 12 months when they make on-time monthly payments and Eversource will make up the difference.
Matching Payment Program:
o Customers who heat their home with electricity or natural gas can get help paying their energy bill. Customers apply for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and set up an affordable monthly payment arrangement with Eversource. Customers receiving certain government benefits are eligible for payments as low as
$50 per month. For every dollar a customer pays toward their bill by the agreed-upon time each month, a dollar will be credited to their past-due amount, down to a zero balance.
Eversource reminds customers to take advantage of its #1-ranked energy efficiency solutions to help reduce their energy costs. There are many energy efficiency options available to customers, including the Home Energy Solutions home energy improvement service as well as generous energy efficiency rebates and incentives. The energy company is also making it possible for customers to monitor their energy use with the Kill A Watt electricity usage meter which shows how much power is being used by most home devices. The Kill A Watt kits are available for borrowing from nearly 200 libraries around the state. A list of participating libraries can be found at
Eversource.com, here.
Customers can learn more about payment programs and enroll online at Eversource.com/BillHelp. Information on energy efficiency programs is available at www.energizect.com.
This news release was distributed in coordination with other customer notifications as ordered by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority.
