Utility and energy bill help in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania utility assistance programs are funded from both government money and utility-company programs. This page covers the options available. Government help includes LIHEAP grants, LIHEAP crisis payments for shut-offs and broken furnaces, and free weatherization, all run by the state Department of Human Services and county agencies. On top of that, the Public Utility Commission requires every major electric and gas company to offer a Customer Assistance Program, free usage-reduction weatherization, referral services, and a hardship fund, and the Dollar Energy Fund operates the largest of those hardship funds statewide.
Grants are only one kind of help. Every regulated utility in the state also offers payment arrangements, budget billing, and winter protections such as medical certificates that can delay a disconnection. This guide explains the statewide programs first, then walks through the assistance offered by each Pennsylvania utility company, with the phone number and application path for every one.
Statewide programs for Pennsylvania energy bills
LIHEAP and free weatherization are the largest sources of help. LIHEAP provides cash grants toward heating bills plus a crisis component for households facing disconnection or a broken heating system, and it is administered by the Department of Human Services. Apply online through COMPASS at https://www.compass.dhs.pa.gov/home/, at your County Assistance Office, or by calling the statewide LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095. The season opens each fall, typically in early November, and runs into the spring until funds are spent. Free weatherization improvements such as insulation and heating repairs are available separately, which the NHPB guide to Pennsylvania LIHEAP and weatherization explains in detail.
The Dollar Energy Fund is Pennsylvania's largest utility hardship fund, founded in western Pennsylvania in 1983. It provides one-time grants applied directly to a customer's gas, electric, or water bill for households that have exhausted other assistance, and applicants must apply for LIHEAP and crisis funds first when those programs are open. Call 1-888-282-6816 or apply at https://www.dollarenergy.org, and a local community-based organization will handle your intake. The fund partners with most major Pennsylvania utilities, which match customer donations dollar for dollar. Read more in the NHPB guide to the Pennsylvania Dollar Energy Fund.
Customer Assistance Programs, known as CAPs, exist at every major Pennsylvania electric and gas utility because the state requires them. A CAP lowers your monthly bill to an amount based on your household income rather than your usage, and most versions also forgive some or all of the old balance while you stay enrolled. Each company runs its own version under its own name, so ask your utility for its CAP by the names listed on this page. The same state rules also require CARES referral services and free weatherization for high-usage, low-income customers.
Free heating fuel may be available in winter from government programs and local nonprofits, including help with oil, propane, and firewood for households the utility programs cannot reach. The NHPB guide to free home heating oil explains where to apply.
Assistance from Pennsylvania utility companies
Adams Electric Cooperative offers Project Helping Hand, a fund built from member donations that may help struggling co-op members pay their electric bills. Call 717-334-2171 or toll-free 1-888-232-6732, or visit https://adamsec.coop/, to ask about the fund and about payment arrangements on your account.
Aqua Pennsylvania provides water and wastewater service to about 1.4 million people across 32 counties. Its Customer Assistance Program gives eligible households an ongoing monthly discount on water and wastewater bills, and it is administered by the Dollar Energy Fund at 1-888-282-6816 or https://hardshiptools.org/MyApp/. The separate Helping Hand program, reached through Aqua at 877-987-2782, sets up a payment plan on past-due balances, awards monthly credits toward arrears when you pay on time, and includes a free water conservation kit. Read more in the NHPB guide to Aqua Pennsylvania assistance programs.
Central Electric Cooperative, based in Parker, runs the Family Fund energy assistance program for people whose permanent residence sits on the co-op's lines. Local donations are matched to help member families pay heating bills, and qualifications apply. Call 1-800-521-0570 or visit https://central.coop/ for the current application process.
Citizens' Electric Company of Lewisburg connects income-eligible customers with hardship grants through the Dollar Energy Fund, and applicants must pursue LIHEAP and other government programs first. Call the utility at 570-524-2231 to ask about hardship grants, payment arrangements, and budget billing.
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania answers its universal services line at 1-800-537-7431 for every assistance program it offers, and payment arrangements go through customer care at 1-888-460-4332 - or see https://www.columbiagaspa.com/bills-and-payments/financial-support/income-eligible-assistance-programs. Its CAP provides an affordable monthly payment with arrearage forgiveness for households at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.
The Emergency Repair Program pays to repair or replace gas furnaces, water heaters, and gas lines that pose unsafe conditions for low-income homeowners, with limited funds each year. Columbia also offers hardship grants through the Dollar Energy Fund, security deposit help once in a 12-month period, free WarmWise weatherization for high-usage households, and a budget plan. Read more in the NHPB guide to Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania assistance programs.
Duquesne Light serves more than 600,000 customers in Allegheny and Beaver counties, including Pittsburgh, at 412-393-7100. Its CAP reduces the monthly bill for households at or below 150% of the poverty level, forgives old debt over time, and can waive security deposits. The company's Hardship Fund, run through the Dollar Energy Fund, provides one-time grants once LIHEAP and crisis options are used, and the free Smart Comfort program installs energy-saving measures in eligible homes. See https://duquesnelight.com/account-billing/payment-assistance/customer-assistance-program for the main website. Payment arrangements and budget billing are open to any customer who calls. Read more in the NHPB guide to Duquesne Light assistance programs.
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania is now a single company that does business under four familiar brand names, after Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power, and West Penn Power merged on January 1, 2024. Met-Ed serves southeastern Pennsylvania at 1-800-545-7741, Penelec covers northern and central Pennsylvania at the same 1-800-545-7741, Penn Power serves six western counties at 1-800-720-3600, and West Penn Power covers 24 central and southwestern counties at 1-800-686-0021.
All four brands share the Pennsylvania Customer Assistance Program, which lowers monthly payments based on income and forgives old debt, and it is administered through the Dollar Energy Fund at 1-888-282-6816 or dollarenergy.org/myapp. Or see https://www.firstenergycorp.com/help/billingpayments/assistance_serviceprogram.html.
FirstEnergy customers can also apply for Dollar Energy Fund hardship grants, and the WARM program provides free energy-saving home improvements for income-eligible households. In the Penn Power area, the Project REACH hardship fund pays energy vendors directly on behalf of low-income customers and is administered by the Salvation Army at 1-800-774-1674. Payment plans, budget billing, and medical certificate protections are available from all four brands. Read more in the NHPB guides to Met-Ed, Penelec, and Penn Power assistance programs.
National Fuel Gas serves 14 northwestern Pennsylvania counties, and its Catch-up Coaches at 1-800-365-3234 walk struggling customers through every option in one call, with an Erie-area line at 814-871-8200. See the company site at https://www.nationalfuel.com/utility/your-account-overview-pa-home/payment-assistance-programs-pa-home/. The company's CAP replaced the old LIRA program and offers lower monthly payments with forgiveness of the balance owed at enrollment, for households at or below 150% of the poverty guidelines.
The Neighbor for Neighbor Heat Fund provides one-time grants to prevent disconnection or buy any kind of heating fuel, distributed through human service agencies across the region. Free LIURP weatherization, an emergency heating repair and replacement program, budget billing, and third-party notification round out the options. Read more in the NHPB guide to National Fuel assistance programs.
Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative serves members in Crawford, Erie, Warren, Venango, and Mercer counties. Its Member-to-Member Fund, created in 1985 and supported by donations, gives direct help to members facing hardship so they can avoid disconnection. Call 1-800-352-0014 or visit https://northwesternrec.com/ to ask about the fund and payment options.
PECO serves the Philadelphia region, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, at 1-800-494-4000 - wee https://www.peco.com/my-account/customer-support/assistance-programs. The Matching Energy Assistance Fund may provide emergency bill help for low-income customers facing a temporary hardship, funded by customer donations that PECO matches dollar for dollar. PECO's CAP sets your bill at a fixed percentage of household income and can forgive past-due balances for first-time enrollees, while the free LIURP program at 1-800-675-0222 delivers home weatherization for high-usage households. CARES referrals, budget billing, flexible payment arrangements, and LIHEAP applications by phone at 1-800-34-HELP4 are also available. Read more in the NHPB guide to PECO assistance programs.
Peoples Natural Gas, now part of Essential Utilities, serves western Pennsylvania and answers assistance questions at 1-800-400-WARM, which is 1-800-400-9276. Website: https://www.peoples-gas.com/my-account/help-me-pay. Its CAP bases the monthly payment on income rather than gas usage, typically 4 to 6 percent of household income, and applications go through the Dollar Energy Fund at 1-888-282-6816. Peoples also repairs or replaces heating systems and gas lines for limited-income homeowners and renters, offers free LIURP weatherization, and provides budget billing and medical protections through general customer service at 1-800-764-0111. Read more in the NHPB guide to Peoples Natural Gas assistance programs.
Philadelphia Gas Works helps its customers through the Customer Responsibility Program, the utility's CAP, which sets an income-based monthly payment so households can keep gas service. Call 215-235-1000 or visit https://www.pgworks.com/ to apply. CRP participants can also receive free home conservation work through the Conservation Works Program, and any customer can request payment arrangements or medical certificate protection during a health emergency. Read more in the NHPB guide to Philadelphia Gas Works assistance programs.
The Philadelphia Utility Emergency Services Fund, one of the largest fuel funds in the country, serves city residents only. UESF grants of may help pay off a household's gas, electric, or water balance and bring it to zero, and the city's three major utilities match every donated dollar. Households can receive a grant once every two years, must apply for LIHEAP and crisis funds first when eligible, and apply at UESF intake sites around the city. Call 215-972-5170 or visit https://uesfacts.org/ to find the nearest intake location.
PPL Electric delivers power to about 1.5 million homes and businesses across eastern and central Pennsylvania, at 1-800-342-5775. OnTrack, PPL's CAP, provides a lower fixed monthly payment with debt forgiveness for income-qualified customers, and Operation HELP gives cash grants toward any type of home heating bill, including oil and coal, for households up to 250% of the poverty guidelines.
The free WRAP program installs weatherization and efficiency products to cut usage, and CARES supports customers through temporary hardships. PPL also offers payment agreements, budget billing, flexible due dates, and security deposit waivers for income-eligible customers - apply at https://www.pplelectric.com/site/Ways-to-Save/Assistance-Programs. Or read more in the NHPB guide to PPL Electric assistance programs.
REA Energy Cooperative, headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania, serves members in Armstrong, Blair, Cambria, Clearfield, Indiana, Jefferson, and Westmoreland counties. Its member-funded sharing program provides year-round help with electric bills for households hit by a job loss, illness, or family emergency. Call 724-349-4800 or 1-800-211-5667, or visit https://reaenergy.com/, to ask about hardship help and payment arrangements.
Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative runs the Lights On Fund, built from voluntary member contributions, to help low-income members pay their electric bills. Call member services at 814-445-4106 or visit https://www.somersetrec.com/ to ask about the fund and about payment plans on a past-due balance.
Spring-Ford Project Outreach is a church-supported ministry serving the Royersford, Spring City, Limerick, Parker Ford, and Trappe area of Montgomery and Chester counties. The organization provides emergency help with heating oil, utility bills, and rent, along with weekly food pantries. Call 610-948-5111 or visit the office at 410 Washington Street in Royersford.
UGI Utilities serves natural gas and electric customers across a wide swath of the state, with customer care at 800-276-2722. Operation Share provides energy assistance grants for households up to 250% of the poverty guidelines, and applications are mailed to the community organization assigned to your zip code, which the list at https://www.ugi.com/ explains. UGI's CAP bases the monthly bill on household income instead of usage, the free LIURP weatherization line is 800-844-9276, and budget billing and payment extensions are open to all customers. Read more in the NHPB guide to UGI Utilities assistance programs.
Water bill help extends beyond Aqua's programs. The Dollar Energy Fund administers water hardship grants for several Pennsylvania water companies, and regulated water utilities must offer payment plans under state rules. Read more in the NHPB guide to Pennsylvania water bill assistance.
Wellsboro Electric Company connects income-eligible customers with hardship grants through the Dollar Energy Fund, after government programs such as LIHEAP have been used first. Call 570-724-3516 to ask about grants, payment arrangements, and budget billing.
Community discussion – forum
The forum on utility bill programs in Pennsylvania is where residents share what they need help with and/or what actually happened when they applied to a program. It covers payment plans, people seeking help from the government or charities and other issues around utility costs in the state. Post your own question on the moderated Pennsylvania utility assistance forum page or read firsthand comments from others in the state.
More protections when a shut-off threatens
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission enforces strong consumer protections, including winter termination rules for low-income households and medical certificates that postpone a shut-off when a resident's health is at risk. Anyone facing a termination they believe is unfair can call the PUC at 1-800-692-7380 or review the assistance page at https://www.puc.pa.gov/. If your utility is not covered in this guide, the NHPB guide to electric bill help explains more programs, and dialing 211 connects you with the energy assistance agencies serving your county.
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