Dominion North Carolina Power assistance programs.
For those customers in North Carolina that need more time to pay their energy bills, Dominion Power may have programs that can help them. There is financial help for gas or electric bills, payment plans, shut-off prevention services and other support. They have several possible solutions and can also direct families to state or federal government programs as well. Examples of the main services available are listed below as well as application information for Dominion Power programs.
EnergyShare is offered during the cold winter months for paying heating bills. It is a program of last resort, so households that use Dominion need to have applied and/or used up all other financial assistance programs first, including the payment plans referenced below.
When funding is available, EnergyShare pays for various types of heating bills. It will range from wood, oil, kerosene, natural gas, propane or electricity. The program provides individuals or qualified families with a one-time payment. The funds can be used to pay a portion of your outstanding utility bill.
Payment Extensions, both short and longer term, may be available. Terms will vary based on many conditions.
A short term plan can last several weeks. The exact terms of what is offered will vary and depend mainly on the status of the customers account. Dominion North Carolina Power customers will need to abide by the terms of any arrangement agreed to. If they still can't pay their bill by the payment extended date, call the company right away to see if you have any other options available. While there are no fees involved in setting up short term Payment Extensions, there are conditions. For example, extensions can't be made while the household is on a Budget Billing plan.
Another possibility is a Long-Term Payment Plan. This will divide any past due balance on your account into equal payments of up to 6 months. If it is offered, the customer is required to pay their current bill on time each and every month. A down payment is also often required by Dominion Power for this particular deal.
The customer that enters into this arrangement will be required to pay a set amount towards a past due balance in addition to remaining current with new bills. As indicated, the Payment Plan will spread out the total balance for up to 6 months, so this should make your monthly payment more manageable. One of the advantages to the long term plan is that there are not any charges or fees to establish this. However your monthly bills will still reflect the standard late payment charge on the remaining account balance.
While customers can pay more money each month then what they owe per the terms of the installment, at minimum they will need to pay the amount billed each month. If they do not do this then their service could be disconnected. If your long term payment plan is not kept and strictly followed, then Dominion North Carolina Power may subject your service to disconnection. In addition, they will not offer the customer any other assistance for up to 12 months.
There are also some statewide North Carolina Energy Assistance programs. They include:
- Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) - Federal government grants can be used for paying heating bills during the winter or cooling/air conditioning bills during the summer. Funds can help ensure your power is not shut off.
- North Carolina Weatherization Assistance - Free conservation measures, including safety updates, can be made to a qualified low income residents home.
Contact information
If these resources do not meet your needs, then Dominion North Carolina Power does have other options. If you continue to struggle to pay your electric bill, they may also offer some people a customized payment plan. These are even more restricted and are not available in all situations. To learn more on any of these resources, the company can be reached at 1-866-366-4357 or 1-877-776-2427.
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