MERRILLVILLE – Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) is partnering again this year with state agencies and other organizations to help connect families struggling to pay their heating bills this winter with available assistance funds. Enrollment for the federal low income energy assistance program begins on Monday, Nov. 3, 2014.
Assistance programs include:
* Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Program: LIHEAP support is available to households falling within 150 percent of federal poverty guidelines. Between December 1 and March 15, Indiana natural gas utilities do not disconnect service to customers enrolled in LIHEAP who are behind on their bills.
* NIPSCO Customer Assistance for Residential Energy (CARE) Discount Program: The NIPSCO CARE Discount Program is designed to provide further bill reductions to LIHEAP-eligible customers. Once enrolled in LIHEAP, customers are automatically enrolled in the program.
* NIPSCO Hardship Program: For customers just outside the federal poverty guidelines for LIHEAP, the NIPSCO Hardship Program offers up to $400 in gas bill assistance to households between 151-200 percent of the federal poverty level.
NIPSCO Customer Care Agents trained to help connect customers with available funds are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT at 1-800-4NIPSCO (1-800-464-7726).
Eligibility is based on income and family size. More information and a listing of agencies that help administer assistance programs can be found at www.NIPSCO.com/PaymentAssistance.
