Company reminds those struggling with bills
that state programs are available
UNIONDALE, N.Y., Nov. 2, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- As winter heating season approaches, PSEG Long
Island reminds customers that programs exist to help people
struggling with utility bills. There are also many ways they can
lower their bills by using energy wisely.
"Colder weather is coming, which will mean higher heating costs.
PSEG Long Island continues to work hard to provide our customers
with safe, reliable energy at the lowest possible cost," said
Lou DeBrino, PSEG Long Island's vice
president of Customer Services. "To help manage energy use and
costs, we offer resources, tips and a variety of energy efficiency
programs. We also know many of our customers are struggling to pay
bills, and we encourage them to reach out to us to enroll in a
deferred payment agreement and learn about available financial
assistance programs. We urge our customers to act now, and we're
here to help."
Assistance available to those struggling with bills
PSEG Long Island wants to work with any customer struggling to
pay their bills and help them find a solution. The company
encourages anyone with a past-due account balance to call
1-800-490-0025 so a representative can help them develop a deferred
payment agreement tailored to the needs of their household.
Additionally, PSEG Long Island wants to make customers aware of
the financial assistance programs offered by New York State:
- The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can
provide a heating fuel grant to eligible homeowners and renters
depending on income, household size and how they heat their home. A
family of four may have a maximum gross monthly income of
$5,838 and still qualify for
benefits. This benefit is scheduled to open on Nov. 1. For more information, visit
https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/.
- Emergency HEAP, a subset of the HEAP program, offers
eligible customers a grant to help low- and middle-income New
Yorkers avoid having their home heating disconnected or exhausting
their heating fuel source. This emergency portion of HEAP is
scheduled to open on Jan. 2, 2024. If
customers are experiencing an emergency, they can apply for this
benefit by reaching out to their local Department of Social
Services location, which can be found here:
https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/contacts/
- For low-income households facing no-heat situations, the State
Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is also accepting
applications for its heating equipment repair or replacement
benefit. Eligible homeowners can now apply for up to
$4,000 for repair or $8,000 for replacement of a furnace, boiler or
other direct heating equipment necessary to keep the household's
primary heating source working. Additionally, eligible households
can receive energy efficiency services, which includes the cleaning
of primary heating equipment to allow for its safe and efficient
operation. Customers can apply for this benefit by reaching out to
their local Department of Social Services location, which can be
found here: https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/contacts/
Customers who apply for and receive one of these state or
federal benefits are automatically placed on PSEG Long Island's
Household Assistance rate, which provides a discount of more than
$35 on every electric bill, along
with the Residential Energy Affordability Program providing energy
efficiency measures and suggestions to help lower consumption.
How customers can lower their bills
The most effective thing customers can to do lower their bills
is to use electricity more efficiently. Here are some helpful
tips:
- Replace inefficient incandescent light bulbs with LED
bulbs since, according to the U.S. Department of Energy,
lighting accounts for about 15% of the electricity used in the
home, and LEDs use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times
longer.
- Use a programmable thermostat to automatically manage
your home's heating and cooling needs. ENERGY STAR
estimates that properly used programmable thermostats can save
the average American household about $180 a year. In addition, PSEG Long
Island offers rebates on smart thermostats.
- Lower your thermostat by just one degree to potentially
reduce your heating bill. Lowering it two degrees during the day
and five to 10 degrees at night will save even more.
- Install timers and motion detectors to automatically
manage indoor and outdoor lighting and help ensure lights are not
on when they're not needed.
- Ceiling fans can be used to save energy in winter.
Setting a fan to rotate clockwise on low pulls cool air toward the
ceiling, pushing warm air down into a room.
- Seal windows and doorframes with weather stripping
or caulk, and remove or cover window air conditioners to help to
prevent drafts that waste energy and money.
- Reduce "phantom power" by using energy efficient power
strips or unplugging electronic devices when they're not in use.
Items plugged into outlets use electricity even when they're turned
off.
- Install a high efficiency air source heat
pump (ASHP) to lower energy usage, save money and provide
greater comfort in cold and hot months. Robust rebates are
available from PSEG Long Island's Home Comfort Program
for ducted ASHP units, ducted geothermal heat pumps and
ductless mini split systems. Additionally, PSEG Long Island's Home
Comfort PLUS program offers enhanced rebates for customers who meet
certain income qualifications.
- More money-saving ideas and rebate information are
available
at https://www.psegliny.com/saveenergyandmoney/energystarrebates.
PSEG Long Island
PSEG Long Island operates
the Long Island Power Authority's transmission and distribution
system under a long-term contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary
of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a
publicly traded diversified energy company.
Visit PSEG Long Island
at:
www.psegliny.com
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Facebook
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Long Island on X (formerly Twitter)
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LinkedIn
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Island on Flickr
Contact:
Media Relations Pager
516.229.7248
mediarelationsLI@pseg.com
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SOURCE PSEG Long Island