Jersey Central Power & Light Company (JCP&L) assistance & service programs
This page describes a variety of programs that can help when it comes to paying your electric bill, including convenient bill payment programs, ones with available funding to help pay your bills, and programs that address medical needs. You can scroll through this page, or select a link below to take you right to that section:
Convenient ways to pay your bill
Help paying your bill
Special assistance programs - medical needs, notifications, weatherization and education
Contact JCP&L for the following programs:
Online Bill Payment. You can pay your electric bill anytime - day or night, 365 days a year - through our operating companies' Customer Service Web sites at www.firstenergycorp.com. Just register your account and follow the prompts. Your payment is safe, secure, and convenient. For more information on the variety of payment options, review this section.
Checkless Payment Plan. Our Checkless Payment Plan automatically deducts your payment from your checking or savings account every month. You don't have to worry about writing checks, buying stamps, or possibly losing your payment in the mail. Learn more>
Equal Payment Plan. Our Equal Payment Plan (EPP) offers you the convenience of making consistent monthly payments and avoiding the normal seasonal highs and lows in your electric bills.
As an EPP customer, each month you are billed one-twelfth of your annual estimated usage. Your account will be reviewed after 8 months to determine if your payment amount should change to better reflect your actual usage. If the review results in a change to the EPP amount, you will get a message on your bill advising you of the new amount, which will become effective the following month. On the twelfth month of your payment plan year - your anniversary month - your amount due may be higher or lower than your usual EPP amount in order to bring your balance for the year to zero. Then your account is reviewed to ensure the appropriate payment amount for the new plan year.
There is no charge to be an EPP customer, but if you decide to return to standard billing, send us an e-mail message or call us. Learn more>
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, we can 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, we can arrange an extended payment plan. This maintains service while you make payments more suited to your financial situation.
Military Deferred Payment Program (Call 1-800-962-0383)
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 the numbers associated with each program for further information:
Universal Service Fund Program (USF, 1-866-240-1347)
(New Jersey Department of Community Affairs) USF provides low-income customers a payment plan to help lower the monthly cost for electric service. Participants pay a maximum percentage of their total household income for electric and natural gas. USF is a statewide program administered by the New Jersey Department of Human Services. Fresh Start, the debt forgiveness component of USF, provides a one-time opportunity to eliminate pre-program account arrearages. There are household income and other program qualification requirements.
New Jersey Statewide Heating Assistance and Referral for Energy Services (New Jersey SHARES, www.njshares.org or 1-866-657-4273)
New Jersey SHARES is a non-profit corporation organized to provide assistance to individuals and families living in New Jersey who are in need of temporary help in paying their energy bills. This program is designed to assist customers who would otherwise have no means of assistance. A history of good faith utility payments is considered for eligibility.
JCP&L is a founding member of New Jersey SHARES. Program funding is provided by JCP&L customers, company employees, and FirstEnergy shareholders. The distribution of funds is administered by community-based organizations throughout the JCP&L service territory.
To make a contribution to New Jersey SHARES, please complete and return this contribution form (pdf).
| (To view and print this form, you need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader. Click here to download this free software.) |
 |
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP, 1-800-662-3115)
HEAP is a federally funded grant program administered by the State of New Jersey Department of Human Services through a network of local community-based organizations. HEAP provides customers help with paying winter heating bills, and occasionally summer cooling bills. Application for HEAP must be made annually. There are household income requirements for this program.
HEAP has two components:
-
HEAP Cash Program - Annual grant to help with heating costs.
-
HEAP Emergency Program - Provides a grant to help avoid shut-off of electric service, which resulted from over-due bills. This grant also can be used to restore service that has already been shut off during the winter months.
Lifeline 1-800-792-9745 or 1-609-588-7182. Lifeline provides funding for utility bills (electric and natural gas) for qualifying disabled persons and senior citizens. Application must be made annually to receive the benefit. There are certain program requirements. For example, the Lifeline benefit pertains only to the customer's primary residence and must be in the customer's name - or the spouse's name.
Contact JCP&L for the following programs:
Critical Customer Care Program. The Critical Customer Care Program identifies customers who use certain electrically operated life sustaining medical equipment in their home. The program helps customers - for whom a service interruption could be immediately life threatening, or would make operation of necessary medical or life supporting equipment impossible or impractical - prepare for planned and unplanned power outages. Please contact us if someone in your home uses this type of medical equipment.
Medical Certification. Customers with severe health problems may have a licensed physician certify that, for serious health reasons, service should not be disconnected for nonpayment.
Comfort Partners Program 1-800-207-9276. The Comfort Partners Program is a free energy conservation and education program for low-income customers of Jersey Central Power & Light. The program helps customers save energy and money by reducing their electric bills. This is done by installing energy conservation measures in the home and by educating family members on their energy and conservation choices. Participation is prioritized based on the customer's energy consumption. There are household income requirements and other program qualifications.
Gatekeeper Program 1-800-207-9276. Gatekeeper is a program where employees recognize and report customers who might be in distress. Situations include, but are not limited to, the following:
-
Communication - a person who appears confused or disoriented
-
Economic condition - someone expresses difficulty with paying bills
-
Social condition - older persons living alone or socially isolated
-
Physical limitations - severe difficulty seeing, speaking, hearing, or moving around
-
Condition of home - structure in need of repair, neglected yard, accumulation of newspapers, offensive odors, or unattended pets
Third Party Notification. Select a third party (a friend, relative, clergy, or social service agency) to be notified, along with yourself, if your electric service is about to be disconnected. The third party is not obligated to pay overdue bills, but can remind you of pending disconnection and help you make payment arrangements.
(05/31/07)
|
