CHICAGO (April 3, 2008) As part of ComEd’s CARE assistance programs, the utility currently is making available up to $1,000 for eligible customers who need help paying their electric bills. Over the course of 2008, ComEd will distribute more than $18 million in assistance to customers most in need.

"With prices of gasoline, food and other necessities rising, ComEd recognizes that some customers may be struggling to pay their electricity bills, and we want to help," said Anne Pramaggiore, executive vice president of Customer Operations, Regulatory and External Affairs, ComEd. "We are committed to providing financial assistance to customers most in need, and we’ve recently expanded the eligibility requirements to reach more customers."

Assistance money is immediately available through two programs, Power Up and Residential Special Hardship.

• Power Up helps families in need to prevent imminent disconnection or assist with reconnection of electric service. Power Up provides grants of up to $400 for residential customers with household incomes of up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $41,300 for a family of four. The program aims to reach customers who are not approved for the state-administered Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which serves customers up to 150 percent of the poverty level.
• The Residential Special Hardship Program provides one-time grants of up to $1,000 for residential customers with household incomes up to 400 percent of the poverty level, or $82,600 for a family of four, who identify a hardship issue such as illness, military service, job loss or property damage. The 2008 program includes expanded eligibility to reach additional customers.

ComEd also offers a variety of additional assistance options for customers with special needs, such as activated military personnel, small businesses and nonprofits, and low-income customers with all-electric homes. In addition, ComEd’s Summer Assistance Program, which provides qualified low-income customers with bill credits of $30, will begin June 1.

Customers can apply for energy assistance programs through one of the local LIHEAP administering agencies. In Chicago and Cook County, customers can call 1-800-571-2332. More information is available at www.ComEdCARE.com or by phone at 888-806-CARE (2273).

Plus, all residential customers can take advantage of ComEd’s many energy efficiency and demand response programs, which help customers conserve energy and save money on their bills. ComEd’s compact fluorescent light bulb program, Residential Real Time Pricing, Nature First and the interactive Online Energy Audit are among the different ways that customers can save money by using less electricity. More information on these programs, as well as additional tips and tools, are available at www.ComEdCARE.com.

Last year, ComEd provided more than $40 million in assistance and educational programs to more than 400,000 customers to help them transition to new electric rates that took effect Jan. 2, 2007. As part of these programs, ComEd began weatherizing homes for more than 400 low-income electric space-heating customers, gave away more than 155,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs to low-income customers, and offered 1 million more bulbs at a substantial discount.  The utility also distributed $250 million in bill credits for all residential customers.