Hoosiers who can't pay utility bills at risk of shut offs again soon as winter moratorium ends

Rebecca Thiele

Article origination IPB News

A Duke Energy technician disconnecting electricity at a residence due to nonpayment in North Carolina, 2008.
*Ildar Sagdejev/Wikimedia Commons*

Hoosiers who get federal assistance to help pay their electric and gas bills may face shutoffs after March 15. That’s when the winter moratorium on utility disconnections ends.

The moratorium only applies to people who either receive help through the Energy Assistance Program or if a local EAP office notifies the person’s utility that they qualify.

Of the five major Indiana electric utilities, more than 19,000 households had bills that were past due in December and were eligible for assistance. More than 54,000 Hoosier households were on payment plans.

If you’re having trouble paying your bills, contact your utility or contact Indiana 211 to find local utility assistance providers.

Rebecca is our energy and environment reporter. Contact her at rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.

Tags:IPB utilities

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