Citizens Energy Group highlights financial assistance opportunities before and after the moratorium ends.
INDIANAPOLIS – The statewide moratorium on natural gas utility disconnections ends this Saturday, March 15. The annual moratorium runs from December 1 through March 15 and protects customers who qualify for the Energy Assistance Program (EAP) from having natural gas service disconnected for non-payment during the winter home-heating season.
Citizens Energy Group encourages customers who are struggling with their utility bills to visit www.citizensenergygroup.com/help to learn about assistance options, including payment arrangements and Citizens Warm Heart Warm Home Foundation™, which helps customers maintain their utility services and catch up on past-due bills.
Citizens also encourages income-eligible customers who are struggling with utility bills to apply for EAP by the April 14 deadline. Citizens customers approved for EAP automatically receive a 10 to 25 percent discount on their natural gas bills through May 15 as well as a $6 to $15 credit on their wastewater bills starting in July. More information on EAP and how to apply can be found by here or by calling Indiana 211 (by dialing 2-1-1).
Customers who are in need of financial assistance but don't qualify for EAP may apply for the United Way of Central Indiana’s Winter Assistance Fund; the application period for this program runs through the end of May.
Citizens provided more than $3 million in financial assistance last year through its income-based assistance programs. Citizens also completed 50 home-weatherization projects as part of an ongoing program to assist income-eligible homeowners with efficient home system upgrades. These projects provided customers with furnace tune-ups/repairs, insulation, duct sealing, and low-flow aerators.
Since 2022, Citizens and AES Indiana have collaborated on an 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 pieces created through this collaboration are available in English and eight additional languages on the Citizens website.
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