148,000 central Indiana electricity customers struggling with utility bills
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana’s utility disconnection moratorium ends Aug. 14, which means people still have time to pay their past-due utility bills.
For a lot of Hoosiers, times are tough during the COVID-19 pandemic. Farrell Henderson said Friday it’s not easy to pay his electric bill.
“It’s been rough. It’s been rough for me and, I know, a lot of my friends. They’re having issues paying their bills and stuff like that,” Henderson said.
He’s about $400 behind on the light bill. “It’s been a real struggle.”
He’s not alone. Indianapolis Power & Light Co. (IPL) told News 8 that about 40,000 residential and business customers are behind on bills because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For Duke Energy, which serves much of central Indiana, that number jumps to roughly 118,000 residential and nonresidential customers.
“We recognize that we are living in some very uncertain and unprecedented times right now,” said Lew Middleton, a Duke Energy spokesperson.
Since March, IPL and Duke Energy have suspended disconnections for nonpayment. Indiana’s statewide disconnection moratorium was recently extended through Aug. 14.
“IPL has been working to develop customer payment assistance options so that we can help our customers avoid disconnection and get them caught up on their past due balance,” said Courtney Arango, IPL’s manager of external relations.
IPL business customers can get three-, six- or nine-month payment extensions. Those extensions can be three, six, nine or 12 months for residential IPL customers.
“The goal is to try to make sure that everybody can stay cool during the summer and warm during the winter, and they can get their devices connected and charged up,” Arango said.
Duke Energy said customers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic have until Sept. 15 to settle their accounts. Customers who need it can have an payment plan of up to six months.
Duke’s Middleton said, “Disconnection is the very last recourse for us. We don’t want to disconnect anybody for any reason. So, we’re eager to, instead of disconnecting people, we want to help our customers find a way to pay their bill.”
IPL told News 8 it’s sending postcards by mail, posting ads on social media, and communicating on the radio in Spanish and English to get the word out.
Both IPL and Duke told News 8 that help is available for anyone struggling to pay a utility bill.
Utility links
If you need help paying your utility bills, here are some helpful links and phone numbers:
- Apply for Indiana’s Energy Assistance
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
- Find your local energy assistance site outside of Marion County
- Marion County Energy Assistance Program
- Dollar Energy Fund
- IPL Payment Assistance Resources
- Duke Energy Customer Assistance Programs
- Indiana Community Action Association
- Vectren Energy Bill Assistance
- Connect2Help at 211.
- IPL bill questions, (317) 261-8222 and choose Option 2.
- Duke Energy bill questions, (800) 521-2232.
- Vectren Energy bill questions, (800) 227-1376.
- Citizens Energy bill questions, (317) 924-3311.
- To contact your local electric utility company in Indiana, click here.
- To contact your local natural gas utility company, click here.