BALTIMORE — BGE's 6-month moratorium on power shutoffs ends July 15, and the utility has already begun notifying customers who are past due.
Steven Singh, BGE's vice president of customer operations, said the company started reaching out to customers in June.
"Our process has already started. We actually started communicating with our customers in June just about notifying customers who are past due and in arrears about options for them to, you know, to get their bill paid faster. We started the official process of notifying people of collections at the beginning of July," Singh said.
BGE has also expanded its payment arrangement options for customers who contact the company.
"We've actually extended those payment arrangements as part of this new process from 18 to 24 months. So our customers, when they contact us, they're going to see that there's even more payment arrangements than there were before. Our goal is always to work with them and find a plan and a solution that makes sense for us and for them as well," Singh said.
Laurel Peltier, chair of the Maryland Energy Advocates Association, works with thousands of Marylanders struggling with utility bills. She said customers who receive a shutoff notice have 14 days to act.
"I know a lot of people, I work with thousands of Marylanders who are struggling with their utility bills. Some people kind of freak out and avoid it, but you only have 14 days," Peltier said.
Peltier's first recommendation is applying for Maryland's Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides grants to help pay down utility bills based on household income, not whether a customer has received a termination notice.
"This is a benefit that you do not need a termination notice for. It's a benefit based on your household's income. So, I wanted to inspire you to do this because only 30% of people that are eligible actually apply. Hundreds of thousands of families who could get energy assistance grants that pay down their utility bill, they don't apply," Peltier said.
The Office of Home Energy sets income requirements for the program. A single-person household can earn up to $2,660 per month to qualify, while a family of four can earn up to $5,500 per month. Peltier said most people who apply are approved.
Peltier also recommends enrolling in an off-site community solar program, which provides a discount on energy bills — with higher discounts available for low-income customers.
"I 100% suggest today you enroll for off-site community solar, and it is a discount. It's a solar grant. It is literally a freebie solar grant," Peltier said.
Customers can check the back of their BGE bill to see how much energy they use. The average is 11,000 kilowatt hours. Customers using significantly more than that may benefit from a free energy audit. BGE also offers a free HVAC tune-up.
"What I suggest people do is they get their free BGE HVAC tune-up, because they're either a renter or they're broke," Peltier said.
Singh said BGE's priority is working with customers before a shutoff ever occurs.
"It is more difficult for them and it is more difficult for us, but still our guiding principle is, is more, how do we work together so that we never have to have it in the first place," Singh said.
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