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Reliant Energy Announces Summer Programs to Help Customers With Electricity Bill Payments, Energy Consumption During Hot Summer Months

Posted on: Thursday, 29 May 2008, 12:00 CDT

Elected officials from Houston today joined Reliant Energy as the company announced several statewide programs that will aid residential critical-care customers, qualified low-income seniors and other low-income customers with electricity bill payment assistance this summer. The company also announced the continuation and expansion of a key element of its Houston summer program, the Reliant Energy Beat the Heat Centers.

From July 1 through Sept. 30, 2008, Reliant Energy will offer assistance to critical care residential customers, qualified low-income seniors and other low-income residential customers, which will include:

-- a moratorium on disconnecting electricity service for low-income seniors, critical-care, and other low-income residential customers who contact Reliant Energy and agree to a payment plan;

-- waived residential customer deposits for qualified senior citizens;

-- deposit installments for qualified low-income residential customers;

-- extensions and payment plans for qualified residential customers;

-- special, dedicated agents who provide service to residential customers who are eligible for social agency assistance or who need special arrangements;

-- a $1 million annual commitment to assist low-income and elderly residential customers pay their electricity bills through CARE (Community Assistance from Reliant Energy);

-- average billing to help manage bill size during the hottest months of the year for qualified residential customers;

-- competitive residential pricing plans with no long-term contracts or with up to 24 months of price security, except for changes in law or regulatory charges

Reliant Energy also announced that it will operate Beat the Heat Centers at nine City of Houston Multi-Service Centers (MSC), up from the eight centers it sponsored in 2007. The Beat the Heat Centers will operate 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning June 16 through Oct. 3. The centers are a cool place for energy-conscious Houstonians who want to positively impact their electricity bill by minimizing their home air-conditioning use and visiting the cooling centers.

Reliant Energy Beat the Heat Center locations:

-- Acres Homes MSC 6719 W. Montgomery Road -- Denver Harbor MSC 6402 Market St. -- Fifth Ward MSC 4014 Market St. -- Northeast MSC 9720 Spaulding St. -- Magnolia MSC 7037 Capital St. -- Southwest MSC 6400 High Star Dr. -- Sunnyside MSC 4605 Wilmington St. -- Third Ward MSC 3611 Ennis St. -- West End MSC 170 Heights Blvd.

Each Reliant Energy Beat the Heat Center will include adult and youth games, movies, snacks and water, as well monthly visits to the centers by Reliant Energy Home Energy Advisors, who will put on energy efficiency demonstrations and answer consumers' questions about ways to lower their electricity consumption. For specific information on the Beat the Heat Centers, or to schedule free rides to and from the Beat the Heat Centers, interested participants can call 713-497-2711.

"Reliant Energy is continually exploring ways to help our customers make the most of their energy dollar through energy efficiency awareness and other programs," said Albert Myres, senior vice president of government and public affairs for Reliant. "The summer programs we announced today and the continuation of our Beat the Heat Centers are ways we can help provide relief to critical care, low-income and elderly customers who are having difficulty making ends meet."

"We appreciate Reliant Energy's summer moratorium program that helps those struggling to get by through the hot summer months by not cutting off their power," said Houston Mayor Bill White. "Instead, they'll work with people on more flexible payment plans and tips for reducing energy consumption. It's the right thing to do."

Reliant Energy, Inc. (NYSE:RRI) based in Houston, Texas, provides electricity and energy services to retail and wholesale customers in the United States. In Texas, the company provides service to approximately 1.8 million retail electricity customers, including residential and small business customers and commercial, industrial, governmental and institutional customers. Reliant also serves commercial, industrial, governmental and institutional customers in the PJM (Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland), Illinois and New York markets.

The company is one of the largest independent power producers in the nation with approximately 16,000 megawatts of power generation capacity across the United States. These strategically located generating assets utilize natural gas, fuel oil and coal. For more information, visit www.reliant.com.

Summer Disconnection Moratorium Facts

From July 1 through Sept. 30, residential critical-care customers, low-income seniors and other low-income customers who call Reliant and agree to a payment plan will not be disconnected.

Customers will be considered low-income for purposes of this program if their household income is not more than 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines or they receive food stamps or government medical assistance.(a)

Seniors who meet the income guidelines above and are at least 65 years of age are considered low-income seniors.

Critical-care customers are those for whom an interruption in electric service will create a dangerous or life-threatening condition and must be qualified by the transmission and distribution company.

Low-Income Seniors and Critical Care

-- Pay 25 percent of deferred bills on the first electric bill after Sept. 30.

-- Remaining balance to be paid in equal installments over the next five billing cycles

Other Low-Income Customers

-- Pay as little as 33 percent of the outstanding balance.

-- Remaining balance to be paid in equal installments over the next five billing cycles.

(a)Low-income customers who are not seniors or critical care will not qualify for extended payments if they have unpaid amounts from the 2006 or 2007 disconnect moratorium or unpaid balances from prior service with Reliant.

Source: Business Wire

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