APPRISE Survey Research –
Payment Assistance Programs

APPRISE conducted a comprehensive evaluation of Allegheny Power’s Universal Service Programs. The evaluation research included interviews with Allegheny and agency program managers and staff, surveys with participating and nonparticipating customers, analysis of program databases, and analysis of the impacts of the payment assistance program on energy affordability, payment compliance, arrearages, and collections costs.

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.  The reports and presentations are available for download here.

Reports: 2012, 2015, 2016, 2019

Presentations: 2015, 2016, 2019

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 Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) created the Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) Program to reduce the risk of disconnection from energy services by providing arrearage forgiveness and rewarding on-time bill payments. AMP provides customers with forgiveness of their unpaid electric and gas utility bills if they pay their current monthly bills on time. APPRISE is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of this program that includes program administrator interviews; a quantitative participant survey; analysis of program data; and estimation of the impacts of the program on arrearages, disconnections, and bill payment. Based on the findings from this evaluation, we will recommend whether the CPUC should modify, extend, or discontinue AMP.

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 limited energy bills to approximately four percent of a household’s income. APPRISE conducted a comprehensive evaluation to assess the impact of the Pilot on payment behavior, disconnections, energy usage, and access to essential services. The research included 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.

APPRISE conducted research to assist the Colorado’s Governor’s Commission on Low-Income Energy Assistance to develop recommendations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the state’s low-income energy assistance services. The research included analysis of American Community Survey data, the Colorado LIHEAP database, and the Energy Outreach Colorado database; review and assessment of current LIHEAP procedures and implementation; surveys with participating and non-participating low-income households; and interviews with program managers at the state and agency level.

Duquesne Light implemented Universal Service Programs to improve affordability for low-income customers. The programs include the Customer Assistance Program (CAP), which provides reduced payments and arrearage forgiveness; Smart Comfort, which provides energy efficiency and energy education services; CARES, which provides outreach and referral services; and the Hardship Fund, which provides emergency assistance. APPRISE conducted an evaluation of the performance of these programs and the integration among the different programs. The research included interviews with program and agency staff, a participant survey, and analysis of the impacts of the program on affordability and payment compliance.

FirstEnergy implemented Universal Service Programs to help low-income customers maintain electric service and protect customers’ health and safety. The programs include the CAP Program, which provides reduced payments and arrearage forgiveness; LIURP/WARM, which provides energy efficiency and energy education services; CARES, which provides outreach and referral services; the Hardship Fund, which provides emergency assistance; and Gatekeeper, where field personnel recognize and report customers who may be in distress. APPRISE conducted an evaluation of the performance of these programs, their ability to help low-income customers maintain affordable service, and the integration among the different programs. This evaluation included analysis of program databases, interviews with FirstEnergy managers and staff, interviews with staff at organizations that implement the programs; and analysis of the impact of CAP on bills, customer payments, and affordability.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has designed the Percent of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) pilot to help low-income households maintain energy service throughout the year and reduce the health and safety risks associated with energy service disruption. The PIPP program offers LIHEAP recipients arrearage forgiveness and a fixed payment plan in the place of a one-time LIHEAP grant. It also tests the effectiveness of offering weatherization and energy conservation, as well as counseling and education services to program participants. It is important for HFS to have information on the appropriateness of the program development, the effectiveness of the program implementation, and the program impact on participating clients and the participating utility. APPRISE conducted a process and impact evaluation of this program that assessed whether the program was implemented effectively and whether the program achieved its intended effect on clients.

Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company offer a Home Energy Assistance (HEA) Program to assist the poorest households in their service territories least able to afford to pay their energy bills. Funded by ratepayers and shareholders, the programs (structured differently by company) provide fixed monthly credits to LIHEAP participants. APPRISE conducted a comprehensive HEA assessment to analyze the program management, availability, and customer participation; assess impacts on payments, arrearages, collections actions, and weatherization participation; and make recommendations for program improvement.

APPRISE conducted surveys of LIHEAP recipients in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2018. The most recent survey of 2018 LIHEAP recipients updated information about LIHEAP-recipient households that was collected in the previous surveys. These surveys documented changes in the affordability of energy bills, the need for LIHEAP, and the choices that low-income households make when faced with unaffordable energy bills. The 2018 Survey interviewed recipients in eight states. Stratified samples of fiscal year 2018 LIHEAP recipients were selected from each of the eight state LIHEAP databases. The study characterized the LIHEAP population for 2018 and documented the challenges that these households face in addition to their energy bills.

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.

APPRISE assessed the fiscal integrity and operational efficiency of the NJ LIHEAP and USF Programs. This research included an assessment of the performance of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), Division of Housing and Community Resources (DHCR), Office of Home Energy Assistance (OHEA) and an assessment of the operations of the LIHEAP and USF programs. We reviewed program documents, and conducted interviews with HHS LIHEAP compliance staff, DCA management, USF managers at the NJ Board of Public Utilities, and managers at Community Based Organizations that administer the programs. We also reviewed program databases and statistics, conducted on-site interviews and observations with a sample of local agencies, and conducted a survey with LIHEAP recipients.

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.

The New Jersey Universal Service Fund (USF) program provides fixed credits to eligible low-income families to limit electric and gas bills to six percent of household income. APPRISE conducted a process and impact evaluation of this program. This evaluation provided information on the benefits and costs of the USF program and alternatives for program design and operations. Program evaluation research consisted of administrative interviews, client surveys, program and utility data analysis, and financial data analysis.

Ohio’s Percentage of Income Payment Program (PIPP) was revised as the PIPP Plus in November 2010. The program helps low-income households maintain utility service by providing a reduced bill based on a percentage of the household’s annual income. APPRISE conducted an evaluation of this program to assess the effectiveness of the changes to PIPP that aimed to provide incentives for regular, on-time payments and consequences for failure to adhere to program rules. The research included administrative interviews, participant surveys, and analysis of program and utility data.

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 Peoples Natural Gas Universal Service Programs.  Peoples’ Universal Service Programs provide reduced natural gas bills, arrearage forgiveness, emergency bill payment assistance, energy efficiency services, and case management services to low-income households.  The evaluation assessed the efficiency and effectiveness of these programs through background research, needs assessment research, program administrator interviews, customer surveys, program database analysis, and analysis of the impacts of the program on affordability, bill payment, and collections actions and costs.

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.

PG Energy implemented their Customer Assistance Program (CAP), called the PG Energy Partners Program (PGEPP), to assist eligible low-income residential customers to pay their gas bills and reduce arrearages. Participating households pay a monthly bill that equals a percentage of their income, and receive monthly arrearage forgiveness when bills are paid on time and in full. APPRISE evaluated this program to determine how to increase efficiency of administration and to measure the impacts of the program on affordability, bill payment, collections activity, and gas usage.

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.

T.W. Phillips established a customer assistance program called the Energy Help Fund (EHF) as part of its Universal Services Programs. The EHF provides low-income customers with rate discounts and arrearage forgiveness. APPRISE conducted a Process and Impact Evaluation of the program. The evaluation included administrative interviews, customer surveys, and analysis of payment and program data.

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.

APPRISE conducted research to assist Washington’s Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development to assess low-income household needs for energy conservation and energy assistance services. The research included an analysis of the fuels used, energy costs, and energy burden for low-income households in WA; documentation of current energy prices and assistance programs offered by utility companies in WA; and recommendations for the types of energy assistance programs that may best meet the needs that are documented in the study.