This content is sponsored by Pepco.
Making energy more affordable and keeping customers connected to critical energy service remains a core priority for both Pepco and the communities it serves.
“Customers are feeling the real impact of inflation,” said Valencia McClure, the region president for Pepco, a utility company that provides safe, reliable and affordable electric service to about 944,000 customers in D.C. and Maryland.
Pepco works to keep every customer connected by offering payment arrangements and helping customers secure grants and other support from several available energy assistance programs.
“We realize that a lot of customers are struggling when it comes to what we’re seeing from an economic standpoint,” McClure said. “It’s one of our priorities.”
In 2023, Pepco helped more than 35,000 customers secure more than $45.5 million in energy assistance, including more than $17.5 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps limited-income households with their home energy bills.
Grants are provided in varying amounts.
“Unlike a loan, customers do not have to pay those grants back,” McClure said, adding that customers don’t necessarily need to be behind on their bills to receive a grant.
For those who don’t meet LIHEAP requirements, Pepco offers other ways to help customers stay on track including flexible payment plans and “budget billing,” which averages payments over a 12-month period and helps avoid seasonal spikes, providing a consistent monthly bill.
“We take this seriously,” said McClure. “We always encourage customers to call if they need help, because it’s a lot easier for us to work with a customer at that point before they potentially get disconnected.”
Making it easy for customers
In some cases, Pepco takes its savings programs directly to the doorsteps of customers in the form of home energy check-ups, which show people how their home uses electricity and how they can cut back.
After a customer requests an appointment, a certified energy analyst conducts a walk-through of their home and may even install energy-saving products at no additional cost.
“We know with summer temperatures impacting all of us, customers do see a spike in their energy bills, so we try to make sure that we’re educating customers on all the programs we have available,” McClure said.
Through the “My Account” section of Pepco’s website, customers can track their daily electricity usage and set alerts that tell them if they’re going above the maximum level they have established for themselves.
“It lets them know how they compare to their neighbors,” McClure added. “That’s valuable because you become very aware of exactly how much energy you are using.”
Customers in Maryland and the District can enroll in Energy Wise Rewards.
The program works by cycling enrollees’ central air conditioner or heat pump over short intervals on selected, high electricity demand days called Peak Savings Days.
Customers enroll by choosing their participation level and energy-saving device.
They receive a one-time installation credit, Monthly Reward Bill Credit, and their choice of energy-saving devices at no charge. The program is voluntary and customers can leave the program at any time.
Keeping vulnerable customers in the loop
Lower energy costs can alleviate financial stress for households, particularly for low-income families who often spend a disproportionate amount of their income on utilities.
Pepco supports the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment’s (DOEE) “solar for all” program, which aims to bring the benefits of solar energy to 100,000 low- to moderate-income families in the District.
Through the program, DOEE installs solar panels on single family homes and develops community solar projects to benefit renters and residents in multi-family buildings.
Unlike solar panels which are installed on a customer’s rooftop and are solely for the use of one household or customer, community solar is shared by two or more utility customers in a utility’s service territory.
Residents can participate if their household income is below 80% of the area median income threshold, and they can see 50% savings on their electricity bills over 15 years.
Pepco supported this program by providing space at two of its company facilities to host community solar arrays.
This includes community solar at Pepco’s Benning Service Center, which provides 330 income-qualified households in the District up to $500 in annual savings for 15 years on their Pepco electric bill.
The facility is owned and operated by NHT Ingenuity Power.
“When you talk about $500 or sometimes even more, that’s an average that becomes very helpful for customers,” said McClure. “We’re seeing how we can continue to increase those type of opportunities throughout our service area.”
Pepco also partnered with the DOEE, Jubilee Housing, New Partners Community Solar, and several other community and environmental partners on the construction of a new community solar facility on the rooftop of Pepco’s headquarters’ facility in downtown, Washington, DC.
The project directly benefits limited-income residents of Jubilee Housing, an affordable housing development in the District’s Adams Morgan neighborhood.
Customers can learn more about energy assistance and available programs at pepco.com/MoreThanEnergy.
