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Funds are still available for PPL Electric Utilities customers to help with their utility bills, thanks to an extension of the deadline for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. 

The former deadline of March 30 was recently pushed back to April 13 by the state Department of Public Welfare, which administers the federally funded program in Pennsylvania.

LIHEAP provides cash grants to help utility customers with heating bills and crisis grants to help them cope with emergency situations.

Customers don’t have to have an unpaid bill to qualify and don’t need to be a public assistance recipient to apply.

Cash grants are based on household income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. In addition to proof of income and household size, applicants must provide a recent bill or a statement from their fuel dealer verifying their customer status and the type of fuel used.

There are a variety of ways to apply for LIHEAP funding.

Eligible customers can apply online at www.compass.state.pa.us or download an application from PPL Electric Utilities’ website, www.pplelectric.com. On the PPL site, select Quick Links, then “Need Help Paying Your Bill,” then LIHEAP.

For PPL Electric Utilities customers with an active OnTrack account, a cash grant through LIHEAP could result in an account credit. Those customers should not make an OnTrack payment until they have exhausted all of the credits that appear on their monthly OnTrack electric bill.

Customers also can apply in-person at county assistance offices, and they can call the statewide toll-free hotline at 1-866-857-7095 with questions.

More than 22,700 PPL Electric Utilities customers have received $4.6 million in LIHEAP grants during the current program year, which started Nov. 1. As of the end of February, more than 211,000 of PPL Electric Utilities’ 1.2 million residential customers had overdue balances averaging $634.

The state recently reported receiving 533,626 applications for cash assistance to help low-income households pay for home heating fuel since the LIHEAP program began taking applications last November. It also said it received 89,821 applications for crisis grants, which assist with heating emergencies such as a furnace failure or unexpected fuel shortages.

“It’s good news that the deadline was extended. It means more customers have the opportunity for assistance,” said Tim Dahl, manager of Regulatory Programs and Business Services for PPL Electric Utilities. “However, I would urge those who need this help to apply now before funds are gone or the deadline passes.” 

PPL Electric Utilities has a variety of programs to help its customers manage their energy bills, including OnTrack and the Winter Relief Assistance Program. For more information, visit www.pplelectric.com/billhelp.

Household sizes and income guidelines for the current LIHEAP program year are as follows:

1 person -- $16,335 maximum income

2 people -- $22,065 maximum income

3 people -- $27,795 maximum income

4 people -- $33,525 maximum income

5 people -- $39,255 maximum income

6 people -- $44,985 maximum income

7 people -- $50,715 maximum income

8 people -- $56,445 maximum income

(For each additional person, add $5,730)

PPL Electric Utilities, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL), provides electric delivery services to about 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania and has consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. More information is available at www.pplelectric.com.