Pittsburgh Review

Energy prices are on the rise in the state of Pennsylvania; and in response, Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Acting Advocate Patrick Ciceron are urging Pennsylvanians in need of utility payment assistance to use state programs. They are also calling upon the Dept. of Human Services to extend the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Shapiro and Cicero asked the Pennsylvania Dept. of Human Services to use unspent funds in the budget to extend the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to Aug. 31, a recent news release on the attorney general's office website said. They noted that the state saw record usage of the program, which has provided 322,000 cash grants and 53,000 crisis grants. If the remaining funds are not used, the program will end on May 6.

"I urge DHS to keep the LIHEAP program open for applications until August 31," Cicero said in the release. "Pennsylvania has hundreds of millions of dollars of LIHEAP funding left, and no eligible Pennsylvanian in need should have their utilities shut off. There is help available."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the price of electricity in Pennsylvania is up approximately 9%, and natural gas is up 20%, the release said. 

Shapiro noted that energy prices are likely to continue to increase. 

"I want Pennsylvanians to know that there is help available for everyone, and that we are going to do all we can to make sure that these resources remain available to Pennsylvanians over the spring and summer," he said.

There are several programs that can assist residents for energy payments and usage. "Budget Billing" involves programs available to everyone at zero cost. The utility company divides the total annual utility bill into 12 even amounts.

"Hardship Funds" provide cash assistance for utility-bill payments or if there is a need for assistance after other resources have been used up.

The "Customer Assistance Program" lowers monthly utility bills for people with an income 150% below the poverty level, which is the same qualification that LIHEAP uses. Bills are calculated based on a percentage of income. In some cases, outstanding debts can be forgiven.

There are also "Low Income Usage Reduction Programs" for reducing energy usage and lowering energy bills. This includes an energy audit for those who qualify to determine the energy usage in the household.

Payment agreements can also be set up with the Public Utility Commission.

To apply for LIHEAP, visit COMPASS at compass.state.pa.us/compass.web/Public/CMPHome, which is the online tool for Pennsylvania residents to apply for health and human service programs. Applications can also be filled out and returned to a local county assistance office.