SHREVEPORT, LA (July 8, 2024) – Texans may be able to get help to pay summer cooling bills until funds are depleted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Eligibility is based on income for the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. To apply, visit the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to find an administering agency near you or dial 211 to discover more resources.
SWEPCO customers in in Rusk, Cherokee, Gregg, Smith, and Wood counties can reach out to Greater East Texas Community Action. Those in Harrison, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, and Upshur counties can reach out to Tri-County Community Action.
The Comprehensive Home Energy Assistance Program assists low-income households, particularly those with the lowest incomes and disproportionately highest energy costs to meet their home energy costs by making payments directly to energy suppliers. Both homeowner and renter households are eligible to receive CEAP assistance. The household's annual income must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Energy costs must also be documented.
“This program is very impactful and is highly recommended and needed for our clients,” said Brenda Allen, Program Director for Tri-County Community Action. “Partnering with SWEPCO has been a tremendous benefit and success to the community that we serve.”
Allen said those wishing to apply should have all current documents ready to make the process of determining eligibility easier and faster. Required documentation can be found on the front of the application, which is under the assistance tab on www.tccainc.org. Allen noted the application changes each year, so be sure to select the application form for the current year.
Nationally, seven out of 10 households helped by LIHEAP are home to a child under the age of six, an elderly resident, a veteran, or someone with a disability.
Nearly 200,000 Texans got help in 2020 from the Home Energy Assistance programs which provide grants year-round for heating and cooling help, emergencies and for weatherization efforts.
“LIHEAP is a great help to our customers,” said Brett Mattison, SWEPCO president. “We encourage those who might be eligible to learn more about this and our other programs to help manage seasonal bill spikes.”
SWEPCO recently introduced an easy-to-use tool to identify bill help based on your needs. Just answer a few questions at www.swepco.com/billhelp and we’ll provide every customer with options.
“Whether it’s a payment plan, a payment extension or average monthly payments, we’re here to help local families beat the heat and combat the high bills,” said Mattison.
About Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO)?
We deliver safe, reliable and affordable power to more than half a million homes and businesses in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Our 1,400 employees power today’s necessities and inspire tomorrow’s possibilities. You’ll see us improving communities, promoting sustainability and building grid resiliency throughout our territory, spanning more than 25,000 distribution line miles. Our work in energy efficiency has been repeatedly recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy, which honored us as an ENERGY STAR® 2023 Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence. We recognize that innovative approaches to workforce development are necessary to effectively recruit qualified, diverse talent in today’s competitive labor market and this includes a commitment to building a diverse and skilled workforce through partnerships to grow the talent pipeline. We’re proud to be named Texas Workforce Commission’s 2023 Employer of Excellence and to receive the 2023 Curt Eysink Excellence in Workplace Development award from the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Because we produce and deliver one of the most powerful forces on earth, we keep the safety and well-being of our customers and employees at the forefront, always. We are proud of the Million Work Hours Safety Award from the Arkansas Department of Labor Licensing and Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission on behalf of our Flint Creek Power Plant for working 4 million hours without a lost-time accident. We believe we can deliver reliable electricity while protecting the environment. Our work to support habitat conservation was recently recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation (WHC) who awarded us a Silver Certification for supporting sustainable ecosystems at our Eagle Watch Nature Trail. SWEPCO is an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company. SWEPCO’s headquarters are in Shreveport, LA. News releases and other information about SWEPCO can be found at SWEPCO.com. Connect with us by following Facebook.com/SWEPCO, Twitter.com/SWEPCOnews, Instagram.com/swepco, Youtube.com/SWEPCOtv and LinkedIn.com/company/swepco.??