UI Hosts Summer ‘Office Hours’ in New Haven County, Providing Customer Assistance on Managing Utility Bills
Customers are invited to meet in person with company representatives in East Haven and West Haven to enroll in assistance programs, receive guidance on managing monthly bills, and register for energy efficiency programs
Events will be held on Thursday, August 22, at the East Haven Senior Center, and on Friday, August 23, at the West Haven Public Library
ORANGE, Conn. — August 21, 2024 — United Illuminating (UI), a subsidiary of Avangrid (NYSE: AGR), announced it will host two in-person Office Hour events this week in New Haven County to assist customers in managing their utility bills. The events will take place on Thursday, August 22, at the East Haven Senior Center (91 Taylor Ave, East Haven, CT 06512) from 3:00 – 6:00 pm, and on Friday, August 23, at the West Haven Public Library (300 Elm St, West Haven, CT 06516) from 2:00 – 5:00pm. No appointment is necessary. Customers can meet directly with customer service representatives and energy efficiency experts to learn more about available assistance programs and apply for financial hardship and qualifying programs. Customers planning to attend are asked to bring their electric and/or gas bills, account numbers, and any relevant documentation that applies to their financial situation.
“With rising temperatures come increased electric usage, and to help our customers better manage their monthly bills, we’re offering them the chance to meet one-on-one with our team to ask questions, learn about affordability options, and discover energy-saving opportunities,” said Frank Reynolds, President and CEO of United Illuminating. “We understand that this time of year can be challenging for many people, especially as the costs of policymakers’ programs hit electric bills in the Public Benefits Charge during the hottest time of year with highest electricity usage. That’s why we’re encouraging customers to meet one-on-one to enroll in our bill management programs. We look forward to meeting with customers in East Haven and West Haven this week to provide them with the necessary tools and resources to manage their energy costs through the remainder of this summer.”
UI launched its “Office Hours” campaign in early June, hosting events in Hamden and Stratford. The two events will take place in East Haven and West Haven. Throughout the campaign, Customer Service Representatives and energy efficiency experts with EnergizeCT™ have been available to meet face-to-face with customers, providing information on hardship assistance programs, flexible payment options, financial hardship eligibility, and energy efficiency programs.
“We want our customers to know that we are always here for them, ready to answer any questions in person, over the phone, or through our websites,” said Tracey Pellela, Vice President of Customer Service at UI. “We offer various programs to help customers manage their monthly bills, and spreading awareness about these programs remains our mission. That’s why our team prioritizes attending in-person community events to meet customers face-to-face and share resources. We encourage customers to take advantage of these upcoming opportunities to ask questions and learn about the programs they are eligible for to receive assistance on their monthly bills.”
The upcoming events follow the success of more than 60 customer engagement experiences hosted across the company’s service territory over the past year. Customer Service Representatives and energy efficiency experts have been active at both large and small community gatherings, including most recently the New Haven Black Wall Street Festival and Milford Oyster Fest. To date, nearly 2,000 customers have been served. These events have been instrumental in providing customers with opportunities to learn about available bill assistance and relief options through UI’s Low-Income Discount Rate (LIDR), Matching Payment Program, Bill Forgiveness Program, and Home Energy Solutions-Income Eligible (HES-IE) through EnergizeCT.
EnergizeCT programs available for Connecticut residents include:
| Residential Rebates and Programs |
Details |
| We can show you how a smart energy home makes life better. Energy professionals will make improvements that lower your energy bills for immediate and long term-savings. |
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| Learn about available no-cost and low-cost energy upgrades for income-qualified homeowners and renters. |
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| If you plan to build a new home, make energy efficiency a priority from the beginning. You’ll enjoy lower energy costs and greater comfort and have access to incentives for building to high performance standards. |
Hardship Assistance programs available for UI, SCG, and CNG customers include:
| Assistance Programs |
Details |
| The low-income discount rate, available for UI customers, can help lower customers' electric bills if they qualify. Customers will receive a 10% (Tier 1) or 50% (Tier 2) discount on their monthly charges. For example, for a customer whose monthly charges totaled $100, s/he would receive a $10 or $50 discount on each monthly bill. |
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| Available to residential customers, this program is designed to help lower energy bills for those who can demonstrate financial hardship. UI/SCG/CNG will match every dollar paid by customers or on their behalf, up to a zero balance. |
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| Available to residential customers who can demonstrate financial hardship and have a balance of at least $100 that is 60 days or more overdue. Qualifying customers will be placed on a budget plan for up to 36 months, and UI will match payments as they are made. |
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| Available to all residential customers, regardless of financial status. Customers can pay past-due balances over a period of up to 18 months. |
Current arrangements may be renegotiated due to a change in financial circumstances per Conn. Agencies Regs. § 16-3-100(b)(3)(A). For additional information on assistance programs offered, please visit uinet.com/HelpWithBill (UI programs), cngcorp.com/HelpWithBill (CNG programs), and soconngas.com/HelpWithBill (SCG programs).
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About UI: The United Illuminating Company (UI) is a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. Established in 1899, UI operates approximately 3,600 miles of electric distribution lines and 138 miles of transmission lines. It serves approximately 341,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. UI received the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Recovery Award in 2019 and 2021. For more information, visit www.uinet.com.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $46 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens – in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
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Media Contact:
Marina Bach
203-859-0883