CHICAGO — Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC) and its energy delivery companies (Atlantic City Electric (ACE), Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO and Pepco) are in Washington, D.C., today to support LIHEAP Action Day. The annual event engages and educates policymakers about the need to fund the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) at the highest level possible in order the meet the needs of low-income households and the most vulnerable, including seniors, those with disabilities and children. The event was organized by the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC).
“Energy affordability is a real concern for many of our customers, especially those who live below the poverty line. For them, LIHEAP is a lifeline that protects them from dangerous cold or heat and keeps electricity and gas flowing to their homes,” said Calvin Butler, president and CEO of Exelon. “Exelon teams were able to help connect more than a million eligible customers to more than $1 billion in energy assistance over the past two years, including LIHEAP funds. They also work continuously to share energy saving practices and other important bill management programs with customers to help them control energy costs. Helping to keep energy costs as affordable as possible is just one more way Exelon is powering a cleaner and brighter future for our customers.”
In 2022 alone, Exelon helped connect nearly 470,000 eligible customers to $589.2 million in energy assistance, of which $379.13 million, or 64 percent of the funds, were from LIHEAP. Below are the energy assistance totals by Exelon company and the corresponding LIHEAP amounts and percentages:
- ACE: $88.3 million ($51.4 million/58.3 percent)
- BGE: $116 million ($46.7 million/40.2 percent)
- ComEd: $128.9 million ($96 million/74.4 percent)
- Delmarva Power: $49 million ($39.6 million/80.7 percent)
- PECO: $159 million ($45.7 million/28.7 percent)
- Pepco: $48 million ($33.8 million/70.5 percent)
Since the start of the pandemic, Exelon has continually looked for ways to robustly fund energy assistance and support state and local agencies in collaborating for effective delivery of available resources. The company recognizes sustained access to a financial backstop–and an innovative approach to getting the word out about energy assistance—helps customers prevent disconnection of service, helps families maintain safe and stable housing and restores dignity by helping customers pay bills in full and on time. Some of those efforts include:
- BGE and Pepco advocated for policy changes to benefit low-to-moderate income customers and helped get those additional relief funds to Maryland customers.
- ComEd’s Community Energy Assistance Ambassador program provided jobs for local residents, who helped connect thousands of customers to available bill-assistance programs.
- ComEd expanded its bill-assistance programs to include the Your Neighbor Fund, partially funded by 6,200 ComEd employees, which provided grants of up to $180 to customers facing financial hardship.
- PECO helped organize virtual utility fairs, where customers participated in one-on-one, confidential conversations to learn about bill-assistance programs for multiple utilities, including water, natural gas and electric, and then received assistance to start the application process.
- Pepco, PECO, Delmarva Power and Atlantic City Electric partnered with trusted community organizations, local government and hospitals during the pandemic and beyond to spread the word about customer assistance programs, successfully reaching tens of thousands of customers in need.
- And all six Exelon utilities made it even easier to sign up for assistance funds and have those funds applied to customer accounts.
More information about National LIHEAP Action Day 2022 is available at neuac.org.
