Several programs help Alabama Power customers pay their electric bills
Alabama Power provides electricity to more than a million homes in the southern two-thirds of Alabama, from Birmingham down to the Gulf Coast. If you are behind on your bill, there are several places to get help - this is a guide on how to navigate and access the options available. The company offers payment arrangements, Budget Billing, and a discount for certain customers.
There are also two charitable programs: Project SHARE, which is run with the Salvation Army, and the ABC Trust, which gives out help through community action agencies. LIHEAP, the government energy assistance program, can pay Alabama Power bills as well.
Set up a payment arrangement before the due date passes
You do not need to reach a live person to get more time to pay. Call 1-800-245-2244 and follow the prompts for billing and payment arrangements, and the automated system will set one up. Have the phone number on the account and the last four digits of the account holder's Social Security number ready. You can also log in to your account at https://www.alabamapower.com/ and select Payment Arrangements under Billing and Payments.
The stores and kiosks that accept Alabama Power payments cannot set up payment arrangements. They only take payments. Arrangements are made by phone or through your online account.
Alabama has no law that stops electric disconnections in the winter. A payment arrangement is what keeps your service on, so call before the due date if you can. Once a disconnection notice goes out, there are fewer options.
Project SHARE helps older and disabled customers through the Salvation Army
Project SHARE is paid for by Alabama Power customers who add a small donation to their monthly bills. The Salvation Army handles the applications. If you are 60 or older or you have a disability, and your income is low, apply at the Salvation Army office that serves your county (see the NHPB page on Salvation Army programs and locations), or call 205-328-2420 to find out where to go.
The program helps pay winter energy bills for people who qualify. In the summer, a person with a medical emergency may still get help if money is available, so it is worth asking at any time of year.
The ABC Trust gives help through community action agencies
The Alabama Business Charitable Trust was created by Alabama Power stockholders in the early 1990s. Every year it provides money for energy assistance to households with low incomes and to families dealing with a temporary hardship, such as a job loss or an illness. The money can go toward heating and cooling costs.
You do not apply through Alabama Power. The Trust gives its money to community action agencies, and the agency that covers your county takes the applications. Our guide to community action agencies in Alabama lists the agency for each area. After severe weather, the Trust has sometimes added extra emergency funds on top of its regular support.
A discount and other services for customers on Medicaid or SSI
If you receive Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income, you may qualify for a monthly discount on your bill. Ask for it by calling customer service at 1-800-245-2244 or by visiting any Alabama Power business office.
The company also offers services for customers with special needs. Your due date can be moved so it comes after your government check arrives each month. Bills can be printed in Braille or large print, and there are services for deaf customers. If your bill is always due before your check comes, ask about moving the due date. That change alone can stop late fees.
Budget Billing and the Energy Assistant
Budget Billing averages your bills so you pay about the same amount every month, instead of very high bills in the summer. It does not change your total for the year, but each monthly bill will be about the same. You can enroll through your online account.
Alabama Power also has a free tool called the Energy Assistant on its payment assistance page at https://www.alabamapower.com/residential/billing-and-payment-options/payment-assistance-programs/energy-assistant.html. You answer a few anonymous questions, and it lists the programs you may qualify for and how to contact each one.
LIHEAP pays Alabama Power bills too
LIHEAP is the federal energy assistance program. In Alabama, applications are taken at community action agencies. There is one application period for heating bills and a separate one for summer cooling bills, and emergency cases are handled faster. Our Alabama LIHEAP and weatherization page explains who qualifies, what to bring, and how to get free weatherization work that lowers your bills permanently.
Paying in cash
Thousands of stores across the state accept Alabama Power payments in cash. Bring your bill or your account number. There is a small fee, and it goes to the payment company, not to Alabama Power. The list of authorized payment locations is on the company's website. Only pay at a location on that list.
Nobody from Alabama Power calls to enroll you in a discount
Scammers copy the programs on this page. A caller may offer to sign you up for the senior discount, Project SHARE, or a new assistance program, and then ask for a fee, your bank account, or your full Social Security number to complete the enrollment. That call is fake. The discount is set up through Alabama Power itself. Project SHARE goes through the Salvation Army. Neither one charges anything to apply. Hang up and call the number printed on your bill to check on your account.
This page provides general educational information about assistance for Alabama Power customers, including Project SHARE, the ABC Trust, payment arrangements, customer discounts, and LIHEAP. It is not legal or financial advice. Programs and contact details change, so confirm current information with Alabama Power, the Salvation Army, or your community action agency before applying.
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