Citizens Energy Group highlights financial assistance opportunities before and after the moratorium ends.
INDIANAPOLIS – Citizens Energy Group advises customers that Friday, March 15, 2024 is the final day of this winter season's state-wide moratorium on natural gas utility disconnections resulting from non-payment. The Indiana moratorium runs from December 1 through March 15 each year and protects customers who qualify for the Energy Assistance Program (EAP) from having natural gas service disconnected for non-payment. Citizens encourages income-eligible customers who are struggling with payment on utility bills to file an EAP application before March 15 to receive full protection under the Indiana moratorium.
The EAP is an annual program to which customers can apply every year they meet defined income qualification requirements (60 percent or less of the state median income). Also sometimes known as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), EAP is a federally funded program that is administered at the state level and facilitated in Marion County by the John Boner Neighborhood Center.
Citizens customers approved for EAP will automatically receive a 10 to 25 percent discount on their natural gas bills through May 15 and a $6 to $15 credit on their wastewater bills starting in July.
More information on EAP and how to apply can be found by clicking here or by calling Indiana 211 (by dialing 2-1-1).
Citizens encourages those who do not qualify for EAP to apply for United Way of Central Indiana’s Winter Assistance Fund; the application period for this program runs through the end of May. Within Citizens Energy Group, the Warm Heart Warm Home Foundation™ is another financial assistance opportunity, offering assistance to customers to help them sustain their utility services and catch up on past-due bills. For those customers who are behind on bills, flexible payment arrangements also may be an option.
Citizens provided about $2.8 million in bill assistance last year through its various financial assistance programs. Citizens also completed 44 home-weatherization projects as part of an ongoing program assisting low-income homeowners with high energy usage. These projects provided customers with furnace tune-ups/repairs, insulation, duct sealing, and low-flow aerators.
Since 2022, Citizens has joined with AES Indiana for a collaborative informational campaign called “Utilities Unite for Customers” to utilize various communications channels, including community engagement efforts, customer bill inserts, news media and social media outreach to raise awareness of utility bill assistance sources. Informational brochures created through this collaboration are available in five different languages on Citizens' website here.
Customers in need of assistance can visit citizensenergygroup.com/help or call Citizens at (317) 924-3311 to further discuss their options.
About Citizens Energy Group
Citizens Energy Group provides safe and reliable utility services to about 900,000 people in the Indianapolis area. Citizens operates its utilities for the benefit of customers and the community.
Media Contact Information
Ben Easley
Phone: 317-519-1515
Email: media@citizensenergygroup.com