New York is providing $250 million in funding to eliminate pandemic-related utility arrears for residential households, with a priority to low-income households, from March 7, 2020 through March 1, 2022.
The funds will be applied to customers’ accounts by the utilities, including PSEG-LI, and various municipal electric cooperatives.
PSEG and National Grid are administering the program, which provides customers a chance to have utility debts from that time period to be forgiven, the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island said.
Eligible are:
Customers already enrolled in the PSEG Household Assistance Program or the National Grid Energy Affordability Program
And customers enrolled in one of the following programs
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
-Lifeline Telephone Service Program (Lifeline)
-Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
-Medicaid
-Veterans Disability or Survivors Pension
-Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
-Federal Public Housing Assistance
-Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance (if living on tribal lands)
-Head Start (if living on tribal lands)
-Tribal TANF (if living on tribal lands)
-Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (if living on tribal lands)
-Utility Guarantee / Direct Vendor programs
-Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
-Safety Net Assistance
Long Islanders have until Dec. 31 to enroll in relevant programs and apply for utility forgiveness
To apply with National Grid: click here
To apply with PSEG: click here.