RESOURCE LIBRARY
APPRISE Projects
Low-Income Bill Payment Assistance Program Research and Evaluation
Ameren’s Keeping Current Program provides monthly bill credits and arrearage reduction for customers who continue to make monthly bill payments. Their Keeping Cooling Program provides bill credits in the summer months to offset the costs of air conditioning usage. APPRISE has conducted four process and impact evaluations of the program. These evaluations assessed program design, implementation, participation, retention, and impacts, and made recommendations for program improvements.
In 2020, APPRISE conducted a program design study to assess alternative bill payment designs and make recommendations for refinement or redesign of Ameren’s program. This study assessed program goals, explored options for program parameters, analyzed the outcomes of various program designs, reviewed best practices, and provided recommendations for changes to Ameren’s program.
Ameren’s Keeping Current Program provides electric bill payment assistance and arrearage forgiveness to low-income customers. APPRISE conducted four evaluations of the Keeping Current Program that included surveys, in-depth interviews, analyses of program benefits delivered, and analysis of the program’s impact on affordability, bill payment, and collections actions.
Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) designed and implemented pilot programs to determine the effect of energy bill discounts and payment counseling on the payment timeliness of limited-income customers. The Graduated Rate Discount (GRAD) Program provided a range of usage-based discounts. Some of the customers also received a home energy audit or payment counseling phone calls. The Customer Assistance Maintenance Program (CAMP) pilot tested changes to BGE’s CAMP including increased bill credits, payment counseling, or both. APPRISE’s process and impact evaluation assessed the effectiveness of these pilots in increasing customers’ on-time bill payment and energy conservation behavior.
The Public Service Commission of Maryland (PSC) authorized BGE to develop a one-year Prepaid Pilot Program with electric-only and dual-service customers to test the feasibility and customer acceptance of a utility prepay service program. This program provides customers with the opportunity to pay for their energy in advance of use and make additional energy payments as needed. APPRISE conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the program to assess how the pilot impacted energy usage, energy costs, payment compliance, collections actions and costs, and disconnections. The research found that the pilot had several benefits for participants. Participants reported that it improved their control over energy expenses, helped them to pay off arrearages, avoid or reduce the length of their disconnections, and reduce their energy usage. A weather-normalized, comparison group adjusted billing analysis found that participants reduced their energy usage and improved their energy payments. However, it was difficult to draw conclusions about collections and disconnections because the pilot was during the COVID-19 Pandemic when disconnections were suspended.
The California Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) have introduced a Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) Pilot aimed to reduce the number of low-income households at risk of disconnection. The Pilot will limit energy bills to approximately four percent of a household’s income. APPRISE is conducting a comprehensive evaluation to assess the impact of the Pilot on payment behavior, disconnections, energy usage, and access to essential services. The research will include interviews with IOUs and Community-Based Organizations; surveys with participating customers; and analysis of customer bills, payments, usage, and collections actions using a matched comparison group. The evaluation will recommend whether the Pilot should be implemented with modifications based on the findings from the comprehensive study.
National Fuel Gas provides bill payment assistance, energy efficiency services, emergency bill payment assistance, and holistic case management services to assist low-income customers. APPRISE conducted a comprehensive evaluation of these programs. The research included analysis of program data, interviews with program managers and staff, interviews with service delivery agencies and contractors, in-depth interviews with program participants, and analysis of the impacts of bill payment assistance on energy affordability, bill payment, arrearages, service terminations, and collections costs.
The New Jersey Statewide Heating Assistance and Referral for Energy Services (NJ SHARES) is a nonprofit corporation organized to provide assistance to individuals and families living in New Jersey who are in need of temporary help paying their energy bills. APPRISE conducted an annual impact evaluation of the New Jersey SHARES program from 2006 through 2019. The evaluations included analysis of administrative and utility data to assess the program’s impact on maintenance of electric and gas service and on energy bill payment. Some of the evaluations also included surveys and in-depth participant interviews to assess whether the crises had been resolved, what additional assistance was needed, and the interest and potential for energy efficiency program participation.
APPRISE conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the energy assistance programs managed by the Oregon Housing and Community Service Department. Research objectives included assessment of impact, marketing, outreach, and accessibility of LIHEAP and ratepayer-funded energy assistance programs; and evaluation of the effectiveness of program delivery models. As part of this evaluation, APPRISE conducted organizational research, a market assessment study, a participant survey, in-depth interviews, and a quantitative impact assessment. In addition, APPRISE implemented a community-based participatory research approach to engage local and state community organizations as research partners. Community research partners provided input and assisted in outreach and data collection efforts with members of underserved populations.
PECO implemented Universal Service Programs to help low-income customers maintain energy services and protect customers’ health and safety. The programs include CAP which provides reduced payments and arrearage forgiveness, LIURP which provides energy efficiency and energy education services, CARES which provides outreach and referral services, and MEAP which provides emergency financial assistance for overdue energy bills. The 2019 evaluation conducted by APPRISE included a review of program procedures and implementation; customer needs assessment; interviews with program managers and implementation partners; customer surveys; and an analysis of the impact of the program on energy affordability, bill payment, collections, and energy usage.
APPRISE conducted an evaluation of Pepco’s Arrearage Management Pilot Program. This program provides arrearage forgiveness to low-income residential customers with arrearages of $300 or more. The evaluation research assessed program implementation, the characteristics of customers who enrolled in the program, and the impact of the program on arrearages, bill payment, and collections actions and collections costs. The research included a participant survey and analysis of program, billing, payment, arrearage, and collections data.
PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program provides low-income PGW customers with a reduced bill to increase energy affordability. Their other Universal Service Programs provide energy efficiency services, case management services, and emergency bill payment assistance. The 2019 evaluation assessed the characteristics of program participants, payment compliance by program participants, and arrearage forgiveness received by program participants. The research estimated the impact of the program on affordability, payments, and collections actions and costs. Evaluation activities included interviews with program managers and staff, needs assessment, in-depth interviews with participating customers, and analysis of customer billing, payment, and collections data.
APPRISE conducted Process and Impact Evaluations of PPL Electric Utilities’ (PPL) Universal Services Programs in 2008, 2014 and 2020. The Universal Service Programs provide bill payment assistance and energy efficiency services to PPL’s low-income customers. The 2020 evaluation included a needs assessment, interviews with program managers and staff, interviews with service delivery agencies, surveys with participating customers, and analysis of the impact of the programs on energy affordability and bill payment practices.
UGI has Universal Services programs to help low-income customers maintain affordable energy services. APPRISE conducted evaluations of these programs in 2012 and 2024. The focus of the evaluations were UGI’s Customer Assistance Program (CAP), that provides reduced energy bills to improve affordability for low-income customers. APPRISE’s research included an assessment of the program design; review of the program costs and implementation; participant and nonparticipant feedback; and analysis of the impacts of the program on bill payment, arrearages, and collections costs.