Elizabethtown Gas
Budget Payment Plan Elizabethtown Gas offers a Budget Payment Plan for those who want their bill to be the same amount every month for the next 12 months. This is a free service for residential customers whose accounts are up-to-date, and you can discontinue it at any time. To sign up, call the company at 1-800-242-5830, or visit one of their offices in Elizabeth (12 West Jersey St.) or Perth Amboy (296 State St.). The offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Energy Assistance If you’re having trouble paying your gas bill, Elizabethtown Gas suggests you reach out to the Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) by calling 1-800-251-CCCS. You can also visit CCCS’s Web site.
Deferred Payment Arrangements If your account is past due, Elizabethtown Gas will work with you to set up a Deferred Payment Arrangement. This will allow you to pay off your balance over an extended period of time, while staying current with any new bills. Call 1-800-242-5830, or visit one of their offices in Elizabeth (12 West Jersey St.) or Perth Amboy (296 State St.). The offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Third Party Notification Program
You can designate a relative, friend, neighbor or clergyman to get a duplicate copy of any shut-off notices. That person is not responsible for paying your bill, but making them aware of the situation can help prevent an unfortunate occurrence. To sign up for this program, please call the company at 1-800-242-5830.
Jersey Central Power & Light Company (JCP&L)
Equal Payment Plan In the company's Equal Payment Plan (EPP), you're billed one-twelfth of your annual estimated usage each month. To account for your actual household use during the year, the reviews of your actual usage occur in the 8th and 12th months - it is at these times that payment amounts might be adjusted. Call 800-662-3115 for assistance. (TTY- 800-221-0479)
Extended Due Date If you are at least 60 years old and receive a Social Security or pension check, or if you receive disability assistance, and your electric bill is usually due just before your monthly benefit check comes, they will extend your payment due date until after your check arrives.
Extended Payment Plan If conditions make it difficult to pay your electric bill on time, they will arrange an extended payment plan. This maintains service while you make payments more suited to your financial situation.
Military Deferred Payment Program This program is designed to assist customers who are having financial difficulties because their family members have been called to active military duty. Customers participating in the program may elect to defer paying either all or part of their monthly electric bill. When the family member in the military service returns home, the account will be reviewed to determine payment arrangements for the balance owed.
Customers who have switched to an alternative generation supplier may defer the charges paid to their supplier only if that supplier offers a deferred payment program. If a supplier does not offer a deferred payment program, the supplier charges must be paid each month. Call 1-800-962-0383 to learn more about this program.
New Jersey Natural Gas Customers
Gift of Warmth This is a fund established by New Jersey Natural Gas to help customers with financial difficulties who cannot afford to pay their energy bills. Funded through contributions from customers, shareholders and employees, the Gift of Warmth fund helps income-eligible households, as well as customers experiencing temporary or unanticipated financial hardship. The program is administered by the United Way through local Community Action Program (CAP) agencies. Using the numbers listed below, contact the agency in your county for more information on how to obtain assistance through this fund:
County |
Telephone Number |
Morris County |
973-366-1131 |
Middlesex County
Monmouth County |
732-502-8855 or 732-775-4442 |
Ocean County |
732-244-9041 |
Third-Party Notification This service allows residential customers to designate a relative, friend or government agency to receive a duplicated copy of any discontinuance notice for nonpayment of bills. The third party is not responsible for payment.
Budget Plan This plan can help by spreading out estimated annual natural gas costs evenly over 12 months at no additional charge. To join you can pay the “Budget Option” amount and any other non-gas charges shown on your NJNG bill, prior to the due date to automatically enroll in the plan. You can also visit My Account on NJNG’s Web site to join.
Deferred Payment Arrangements If you think you may not be able to provide full payment for your bill by the due date, you should contact NJNG at 1-800-221-0051. NJNG Customer Services can discuss special payment arrangements to bring your account up-to-date and check to see if you qualify for programs that install weatherization measures in your home free-of-charge. You can also set up a Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) to pay off your total balance in monthly increments with a visit to the NJNG Web site. Customers are urged to set up a DPA or contact NJNG to avoid collection efforts.
To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:
- Balance must be no older than 60 days past due
- Must have made at least one payment in the past 90 days
- Account cannot be inactive due to non-payment
- You cannot have had another DPA in the last six months
For the Blind and Visually Impaired Raised markings can be placed on gas ranges and heating thermostats free of charge to help visually-impaired customers regulate their appliances accurately and safely. New Jersey Natural Gas also offers bills in Braille. Customers continue to receive their regular bill and receive an additional Braille bill under separate cover. You can apply for this service by calling the Customer Services Inquiry Center at 800-221-0051.
For the Hearing and Speech Impaired Customers who have access to teletypewriters (TTYs) may call a special toll-free number 1-800-223-0024. The TTY service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Life-Sustaining Equipment If you use any life-sustaining devices in your home, let the company know. If there is a disruption of gas service, restoration of your service will be a top priority. You can apply for this service by calling the Customer Service Inquiry Center at 800-221-0051.
Orange & Rockland Customers
Get Well First If you're a customer of Orange & Rockland and you're hospitalized for a minimum of 10 days, Get Well First may help you qualify for a 30-day extension on your utility payment due date. Contact the company's customer service department for more information. Call 877-434-4100 Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 7PM except holidays or access their online form on their Web site.
Payment Agreements Are Available If you're having financial problems that make it difficult for you to pay your O&R bill, they will work with you to come up with a payment agreement. In making the agreement, they consider your financial circumstances and any income limitations that you may have.
As part of a payment agreement, they discuss a down payment and work out a payment schedule you can manage. The length of the agreement and the amount of each monthly payment will be decided between you and the company. To further assist you, they will adjust this agreement later if your financial situation changes. If you qualify, installment payments may be as low as $10 per month on the past due amount, with no down payment, plus keeping current on future bills.
Life Support Equipment (LSE) Program can help customers on electrically operated medical devices plan for an interruption in electric service. LSE Program customers are not guaranteed trouble-free service, but are given special information to help them in emergency situations.
PSE&G Customers
PSE&G Equal Payment Plan PSE&G calculates your Equal Payment amount by dividing your previous year’s energy usage into 12 equal monthly payments. Your account will be reviewed every 6 months. If your energy use changes and your payment amount needs to be revised up or down, you will be notified.
Third Party Notification This program will let you know when your older, ill or disabled loved one’s bill is late.
Life-Sustaining Equipment Program If you or a loved one uses a respirator, dialysis machine or other type of life sustaining equipment at home, you can receive priority power restoration if the power goes out.
For more information on any of these programs, call 800-436-PSEG (7734) or go to their Web site.
Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative (SREC)
Levelized billing helps even out your monthly payments by using a 12 month rolling average of your actual consumption. This is especially helpful for people with electric heat or those who use air conditioning. You have to be current in your payments to join this program. Go to the SREC Web site for complete details.
Payment Arrangements If you are having trouble paying your bills, call the SREC Billing Department and inquire about establishing an arrangement in which you would agree to pay 30% of the outstanding account balance and then the remainder according to the payment schedule you work out with them. You can make only one deferred payment arrangement per twelve (12) month period.
CITGO's Low Cost Heating Oil Program
The program, being implemented in partnership with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Citizens Energy Corporation, was created in 2005 to offset a perfect storm of catastrophic events within some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the United States. Decreased supplies, resulting from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, led to steep increases in fuel costs while cuts in the federal Heating Oil Assistance Program placed unbearable burdens on family budgets already stretched thin.
The CITGO-Venezuela Heating Oil Program uses eligibility criteria similar to that of the federal government's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). For information on eligibility, please contact Citizens Energy Corporation, a non-profit organization with whom CITGO is partnering for implementation of the program.
For more information call 1-877-JOE-4-OIL (1-877-563-4645)
or visit their Web site.
Please Note: This resource is currently unavailable. Callers are prompted to call back in January 2011.
LOCAL UTILITY AND SUPPLIER REPRESENTATIVES
