Dominion Offers Budget Payment Plans, Energy Assistance Programs, Conservation Tips, Energy Choice As Ways To Offset Higher Gas Prices
Sharply higher national market prices for natural gas could
mean higher bills for most energy customers. To help prepare for the upcoming
heating season, Dominion customers can start thinking about ways to manage their
winter heating costs through participation in available payment plans, considering
alternative suppliers or by taking simple steps to conserve energy.
"It's never too early to start thinking about your options
for the winter heating season," said Jay Johnson, president & chief
executive officer of Dominion's energy delivery business, which has more than
4 million customers. "We want to reassure customers that Dominion offers
an array of payment options that can help ease higher heating bills, and low-cost,
no-cost tips on conserving energy."
Payment Plans
Budget Payment Plan Pay a pre-established amount each month. Accounts are reviewed regularly
to make sure you're not paying too much or too little. Customers must be current
on their bills to be eligible for the plan. Call us at 1-800-362-7557 for
more information.
Current-Plus Plan For a customer with a past-due balance, there's the Current-Plus Plan
to help better manage gas bills. Customers decide how many months-up to six-it
will take to pay off their balance. Then the company divides the current account
balance by the number of months selected, and adds that amount to the customer's
current monthly bill. If a customer joins this or any other payment plan,
the customer must make the required payments in full and on time. If a customer
fails to do so, they will not be able to enter into another payment plan for
one year after the day when the customer first started the original payment
plan. Call Dominion at 1-800-362-7557 for more information.
Energy Assistance Programs
Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) PIPP helps eligible low-income customers maintain gas service by paying
10 percent of their total monthly household income all year. Customers can
apply for PIPP by calling us at 1-800-362-7557. If a customer is no longer
income-eligible for PIPP, or if the customer voluntarily leaves the program,
the PIPP Repayment Program can help gradually pay off the total arrears.
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Available to qualified income-eligible customers, HEAP is a government
program that provides a credit for winter heating bills. Although HEAP pays
part of the gas bill, it is not a guarantee against shutoff. Applications
are available at post offices and libraries or by calling the Ohio HEAP office
at 1-800-282-0880.
Emergency HEAP provides an emergency payment
once each heating season to qualified income-eligible customers. The payment
must either avoid shutoff or restore gas service. Call HEAP toll-free at 1-800-282-0880.
EnergyShare Sponsored by Dominion, the EnergyShare program is designed to help
needy individuals and families pay any type of winter heating bill up to $175.
Applicants must have exhausted all other forms of assistance before they are
eligible. Contact a local Salvation Army office after Jan. 1, 2004, to apply.
Medical Certification Program This program delays a shutoff when it would be especially dangerous
and life-threatening to the health of a permanent member of the household.
The program allows time to get financial help but doesn't reduce the amount
of the bill. Call 1-800-362-7557 to request a form. A licensed physician or
local Board of Health physician must sign the form.
Housewarming Program Funded by Dominion, the Housewarming Program provides weatherization
assistance to eligible customers. For more information, call 216-574-7100.
Weatherization Assistance Eligible customers may also receive weatherization assistance from
the Ohio Department of Development. This federally funded program provides
grants for weatherization repairs. For details, call us at 1-800-362-7557
or the Ohio HEAP office at 1-800-282-0880.
Customers can apply for PIPP, HEAP, Emergency HEAP and
Weatherization Assistance on a combined application. The form is available
at post offices, libraries, by calling the Ohio HEAP office at 1-800-282-0880,
visiting their web
site, or by calling Dominion East Ohio at 1-800-362-7557.
Energy Choice Program
Under Energy Choice, participating customers may choose to
purchase natural gas from approved suppliers, who in turn rely on Dominion to
deliver the gas. Customers can check the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's
"Apples to Apples" chart, which provides information on participating
Energy Choice suppliers and their current offers and prices, by calling the
Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's toll-free Gas Choice Infoline at 1-800-299-7271
or visiting their website.
Residential customers can direct questions and receive free Energy Choice information
by contacting the Ohio Consumers' Counsel, toll-free, at 1-877-742-5622 or visit
their website.
Conservation Tips
Change furnace filters according to the manufacturer's
instructions; get an annual furnace inspection.
Caulk and weather strip windows and add door sweeps beneath
doors.
Close off unused rooms. There's no reason to heat these
areas.
Install storm windows and doors; they can reduce heat loss
in these areas by 50 percent.
Turn down the hot water tank's thermostat to medium.
Reduce cooking time and energy by covering pots, pans and
casserole dishes.
Don't peek. Every time the oven door opens, consumers pay
a penalty of 25 degrees from lost heat.
If the gas flame on a cook top is visible on the sides
of the pan, lower the setting to conserve fuel.
Always dry full loads of clothes to make the best use of
appliances and energy dollars.
Clear the lint screen on dryers after each load for the
quickest drying.
Keep a kitchen timer in the bathroom, and cut shower times
to three minutes.
Switch to lower water temperatures for clothes washing
and rinse in cold water.
For more tips, go to www.dom.com
and enter "tips" in the search box.
Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy,
with a diversified and integrated energy portfolio that includes 24,000 megawatts
of generation and 6.1 trillion cubic feet equivalent of proved natural gas reserves.
Dominion also serves 5 million retail energy customers in nine states. For more
information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.
