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Nearly 40,000 customers receive monthly bill discount based on enrollment in benefit programs

UNIONDALE, N.Y., March 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- While heating season is drawing to a close and related New York State assistance programs are drawing down the remainder of their funds, PSEG Long Island reminds customers struggling with their bills that they can apply for the company's Household Assistance Program year-round. Customers can call PSEG Long Island's Advocacy Hotline for assistance with applying: 631-755-3407.

Nearly 40,000 residential customers are currently on the Household Assistance Program, which offers a monthly bill discount of $45 to households that are enrolled in certain state or federal assistance programs or meet other eligibility standards. More information, including an online application, is available at psegliny.com/advocacy.

"PSEG Long Island knows that some customers struggle with their electric bills, and we work hard to provide them the support they need," said Brigitte Wynn, director of Revenue Operations. "We host tables at libraries and community events, we email and mail potentially eligible customers, we call customers and walk them through the application. We even train organizations to help their clients with the application and work with the local Department of Social Services to partner for outreach. While we are able to automatically enroll many customers who qualify for the Household Assistance Program, we are standing by and ready to assist eligible customers who are not yet enrolled."

Assistance available to those struggling with bills
PSEG Long Island wants to work with any customer struggling to pay their bills and help them find a solution. The company encourages anyone with a past-due account balance to call 1-800-490-0025 so a representative can help them develop a deferred payment agreement tailored to the needs of their household.

PSEG Long Island also offers its Residential Energy Affordability Partnership Program, a free program for income-eligible customers designed to help them save energy and lower their energy bills. A REAP technician will visit a customer's home to conduct a free home energy survey and may install energy-saving measures. To learn more, visit psegliny.com/reap.

Additionally, PSEG Long Island wants to make customers aware of the heating-related financial assistance programs offered by New York State:

• The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can provide a heating fuel grant to eligible homeowners and renters depending on income, household size and how they heat their home. A family of four may have a maximum gross monthly income of $6,390 and still qualify for benefits. This benefit opened Nov. 1, 2024. For more information, visit https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/.
  
  

• Emergency HEAP, a subset of the HEAP program, offers eligible customers a grant to help low- and middle-income New Yorkers avoid having their home heating disconnected or if they are running low or are out of their deliverable heat source (i.e. fuel oil, kerosene or propane). This emergency portion of HEAP opened Jan. 2, 2025. If customers are experiencing an emergency, they can apply for this benefit by reaching out to their local Department of Social Services location, which can be found here: https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/contacts/
  
  

• For low-income households facing no-heat situations, the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is also accepting applications for its heating equipment repair or replacement benefit. Eligible homeowners can now apply for up to $4,000 for repair or $8,000 for replacement of a furnace, boiler or other direct heating equipment necessary to keep the household's primary heating source working. Additionally, eligible households can receive energy efficiency services, which includes the cleaning of primary heating equipment to allow for its safe and efficient operation. Customers can apply for this benefit by reaching out to their local Department of Social Services location, which can be found here: https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/contacts/